Discover Sankt Pölten: Culture, Nature and Family Experiences

Sankt Pölten offers a diverse mix of urban history, architecture, nature and experiences for families. Between museums, historic buildings, the Klangturm and the Viehofner Lakes, there are various options for planning your trip. Anyone looking for a holiday apartment or holiday home in Sankt Pölten can tailor their stay to their own interests, combining culture, activity, views and shared discoveries.

Cultural history between the synagogue, cathedral and City Museum

A particularly impressive place of remembrance is the Former Synagogue. It was built in 1913 by Theodor Schreier and Viktor Postelberg and was severely damaged during the November Pogroms in 1938. A permanent exhibition focuses on the construction, destruction and two renovations of the synagogue building. This makes a specific chapter of the city’s history comprehensible at an authentic location.

The City Museum is a modern museum in the centre of Sankt Pölten’s old town and has a history spanning around 100 years. Its permanent exhibition presents the history of Sankt Pölten from prehistory to the present day. Multimedia, interactive and atmospheric elements provide various ways of exploring the city’s development. This is particularly interesting for your stay if you would like to learn about historical topics not only through individual dates, but also in a varied exhibition.

The Museum am Dom is located on the first floor of the former, decommissioned Augustinian Canons’ monastery in Sankt Pölten and also includes the former monastery library. As part of guided tours, you can view design sketches for the Baroque redesign of what is now the cathedral church in the 18th century in the episcopal oratory. St. Pölten Cathedral was formerly the church of the Augustinian Canons’ monastery and is now the cathedral church of the Diocese of St. Pölten. This allows the building’s history, religious history and the cathedral’s present-day significance to be considered together.

Architecture and views

Under Cathedral Square lies the Roman Palace, an extensive, multi-part building from the early 4th century AD. The complex included a bathhouse as well as an administrative wing and a residential wing. A look at this early history of construction and settlement adds a Roman era to the picture of Sankt Pölten.

The Klangturm is a prominent landmark visible from afar: an architectural landmark 77 metres high in Sankt Pölten’s government district. The viewing platform at a height of 47 metres can be reached via 280 steps or a panoramic lift. From the top, you can enjoy a panoramic view over the city, the government district, the cultural district and the surrounding area. You can therefore decide for yourself whether to climb the stairs or use the panoramic lift.

Viehofner Lakes and routes for different days of travel

The Viehofner Lakes add a strong natural accent. They are an important bird-breeding area in the central region of Lower Austria and are located directly on the Traisental Cycle Path. Anyone wishing to include nature observation or a cycling tour in their travel plans will find a different focus here than on a museum day. Swimming and boating are prohibited on the smaller lake for nature conservation reasons. This rule is part of the area’s special significance and should be taken into account when planning.

Families can enjoy a dedicated form of discovery on the BAKABU Children’s Adventure Trail. It runs for around 1.6 kilometres from Rathausplatz to the KinderKunstLabor and includes eight interactive stations that can be discovered via QR codes. The route is easy to manage and suitable for pushchairs. This allows a cultural city stay to be complemented by a playful activity without burdening the day’s plans with a long route.

In addition, Sankt Pölten offers guided tours, themed walks and bookable nature experiences with experienced guides. This provides a suitable option if you prefer to learn about the background as part of a guided tour or do not want to explore nature alone.

Which accommodation suits your travel plans?

When looking for a holiday apartment in Sankt Pölten, it is worth deciding on your preferred focus for the trip first. Those interested in culture can include the City Museum, synagogue, Museum am Dom, cathedral and Roman Palace in their selection. For active days, the Viehofner Lakes and the Traisental Cycle Path are important reference points. Families can also check whether the BAKABU Children’s Adventure Trail and the Klangturm fit their planned shared experiences.

For a broader comparison of other destinations, you can also take a look at Herzogenburg, Brunnrotte, Unterwölbling, Frankenfels, Neustift-Innermanzing, Ambach, Kirchberg an der Pielach and Traismauer.

For the overarching travel overview: Sankt Pölten.