The municipality of Berndorf with 8956 inhabitants (as of January 1, 2023) is located on the edge of the Vienna Woods in the Triesting Valley in Lower Austria. Due to the historical development in the 19th century, it is also called Krupp-Stadt.
Berndorf, a historic industrial town in Lower Austria's Triesting
Valley, is renowned for its ties to the Krupp family and metalworking
heritage. Once a small settlement dating back to the Stone Age, it grew
into a bustling city in the 19th century thanks to the establishment of
a cutlery factory by Alexander Schoeller and Hermann Krupp in 1844,
which expanded into a major enterprise employing thousands. The town's
architecture and landmarks reflect this legacy, blending religious
sites, cultural venues, and industrial monuments. Below is a detailed
overview of key attractions, highlighting their historical significance,
architectural features, and visitor appeal.
The Catholic Parish
Church of St. Margareta stands as a striking neo-Baroque edifice in the
town center, commissioned and funded by Arthur Krupp, son of Hermann
Krupp, as part of his efforts to enhance community welfare. Constructed
in the late 19th century, it features ornate interiors with intricate
stucco work, altars dedicated to St. Margaret, and a prominent dome that
dominates the skyline. This church not only serves as a place of worship
but also symbolizes the Krupp family's philanthropy, including their
support for local education and amenities like public swimming pools.
Adjacent in significance is the Catholic Branch Church of Mariä
Himmelfahrt (Assumption of Mary), originally the town's main parish
church before being redesignated in 1917 when St. Margareta took
precedence. Designed by architect Viktor Rumpelmayer, this neo-Baroque
cupola church boasts a elegant facade and interior elements that reflect
early 20th-century ecclesiastical style. Elevated to parish status in
1917, it now functions as a filial church, hosting smaller services and
community events in a serene setting at Kislingerplatz.
Complementing
the Catholic heritage, the Evangelical Parish Church of the Holy Trinity
offers a modern contrast, erected in 1961 as a simple yet functional
hall-style building. Its bright, welcoming interior emphasizes
minimalism with clean lines, natural light, and practical spaces for
worship and gatherings. This church represents the Protestant
community's presence in a predominantly Catholic region, providing a
space for ecumenical activities and reflecting post-war architectural
trends in Austria.
In the district of St. Veit an der Triesting, the
Catholic Parish Church of St. Veit serves as a cultural heritage
monument dedicated to St. Vitus. This historic structure, part of the
unified Berndorf since 1923, features traditional elements like a tall
steeple and vaulted ceilings, dating back to medieval origins with later
renovations. It acts as a focal point for local festivals and religious
observances, embodying the area's long-standing spiritual traditions
amid the industrial landscape.
The quaint Lind Chapel, also known as
the Lindenkapelle, is a reconstructed gem near the Hermannsplatz,
originally built in 1879 beside a thousand-year-old lime tree that
served as a landmark for pilgrims and travelers. Destroyed over time, it
was faithfully rebuilt in 1996–1997 based on old photographs, now
standing as a small, protected monument with simple wooden architecture
and a peaceful ambiance. It offers a spot for quiet reflection and is
tied to local folklore, making it a charming stop on walking tours.
Cultural enthusiasts will appreciate the Stadttheater Berndorf, a
municipal theater that hosts an acclaimed annual summer festival
featuring plays, musicals, and performances in a historic venue.
Established as part of the town's cultural expansion under Krupp
influence, it boasts intimate seating, excellent acoustics, and a
program that draws visitors from across Austria, blending local talent
with professional productions.
The Krupp Mausoleum is a poignant
neo-Gothic family tomb constructed in 1884 at the behest of Arthur
Krupp, designed by Viktor Rumpelmayer. Located in a serene cemetery
setting, this protected monument features pointed arches, intricate
stonework, and serves as the final resting place for the Krupp dynasty
members who shaped Berndorf's industrial fate. It's a testament to their
legacy, with visits offering insights into 19th-century funerary
architecture.
For panoramic views, the Lookout Station Guglzipf atop
Berndorf's local mountain (472 meters) features an observation tower,
restaurant, and leisure areas like playgrounds and trails. Accessible
via the 3.6-km forest nature trail from the town center, it provides
sweeping vistas of the Triesting Valley, making it a favorite for
hikers, families, and nature lovers year-round.
Delve into local
history at the Krupp City Museum, which centers on a permanent
exhibition detailing the Krupp family's innovations, from cutlery
production to global expansion, and Berndorf's transformation into an
industrial hub. Housed in a historic building, it includes artifacts,
photos, and interactive displays that illuminate the town's economic
evolution from the 1840s onward.
The Werksiedlung Wiedenbrunn is
Berndorf's largest preserved workers' settlement, built in three phases
between 1888 and 1910 by the Berndorfer Metalwarenfabrik to house
factory employees. This protected historic district features rows of
charming, uniform houses with gardens, reflecting progressive social
planning of the era and offering a glimpse into industrial-era living
conditions.
Finally, The Iron Bear in Idagasse is an iconic cast-iron
sculpture symbolizing Berndorf's metalworking prowess, often associated
with the town's cutlery and bear-logo branding. Positioned in a
residential area, this durable monument pays homage to the industrial
heritage, attracting visitors interested in public art and local
symbols.
Berndorf is a town in the Baden district of Lower Austria, Austria, serving as an industrial and cultural hub with a population of approximately 9,064 residents as of 2018. It spans an area of 17.58 km² and is positioned at geographic coordinates 47°56′34″N 16°06′13″E, at an elevation of 314 meters (1,030 feet) above sea level. The town is nestled in the Vienna Woods (Wienerwald) region, about 30 km southwest of Vienna, blending urban development with natural landscapes shaped by its historical metalworking industry. It consists of four districts: Berndorf-Stadt, St. Veit, Ödlitz, and Veitsau/Steinhof, which were unified in 1923.
Berndorf's topography is characteristic of the transitional zone between the Vienna Basin and the eastern foothills of the Alps, featuring a mix of rolling hills, river valleys, and forested areas. The terrain within a 3 km (2 mile) radius exhibits significant elevation variations, with a maximum change of 219 meters (719 feet) and an average elevation of 325 meters (1,066 feet) above sea level. Expanding to 16 km (10 miles), the elevation variations increase to 932 meters (3,058 feet), reflecting the proximity to the Wienerwald's undulating hills. The landscape is moderately rugged, with slopes and plateaus shaped by glacial and fluvial processes from the Pleistocene era, typical of Lower Austria's northern limestone zones. Land use in the immediate vicinity includes 59% trees (dense coniferous and deciduous forests), 22% artificial surfaces (urban and industrial areas), and 16% cropland, contributing to a semi-rural character despite historical industrialization. Notable viewpoints, such as Guglzipf hill, offer panoramic vistas of the town and surrounding valleys.
The primary hydrological feature of Berndorf is the Triesting River, which flows directly through the town and has historically powered its industries via hydropower. This river originates east of Klammhöhe, northwest of Kaumberg in the Vienna Woods, at 618 meters elevation, and spans 63.5 km before discharging into the Schwechat River near Achau at 172 meters. Its drainage basin covers 388 km², with the Further Bach as a key right tributary. The Triesting is prone to flooding due to its alpine-fed sources and narrow valley, with major historical events in 1846, 1882, 1940, 1944 (the worst, causing 188 deaths from a dam break near Pottenstein), 1966, 1991, 1997, 2002, and as recently as September 2024. In Berndorf, the river supported early industrial growth, including the first steam engine in Lower Austria in 1836, but also posed risks during WWII-era floods. While Berndorf lacks major natural lakes within its boundaries, small reservoirs and ponds related to historical milling and industry dot the area, and the broader region connects to the Danube basin for larger water systems.
Berndorf experiences a temperate continental climate (Cfb classification), with cold, snowy winters and warm, wet summers influenced by its location in the Vienna Woods, which moderates extremes through orographic effects. Annual temperatures range from an average low of -4°C to a high of 24°C, with rare extremes below -11°C or above 30°C. Precipitation is consistent year-round, totaling around 593 mm annually, mostly as rain in summer and snow in winter. The warm season (May to September) features comfortable highs and occasional thunderstorms, while the cold season (November to March) brings fog, rain, and snow in lowlands. Winds are generally from the west, stronger in winter (up to 14.8 kph in February), and cloud cover is partial year-round, clearest in summer. Humidity remains low, with minimal muggy days.
Berndorf is embedded in the broader Wienerwald biosphere reserve, surrounded by dense forests and agricultural lands that transition into the flat plains of the Vienna Basin to the east and steeper alpine foothills to the west. To the north and west, the terrain rises into the forested hills of the Vienna Woods, popular for hiking and offering biodiversity with species like beech, oak, and conifers. Southward, the landscape opens toward the Triesting valley, with nearby towns like Pottenstein and industrial zones. Notable features include the river's scenic bends, small nature reserves along the banks, and historical sites tied to the waterway, such as old mills and dams. The area's environmental focus includes flood mitigation efforts and sustainable forestry, balancing its industrial past with natural preservation.
Finds from the various eras of the Stone Age prove that settlements
were already present in the area.
In the year 1133, a Perin
village is mentioned in the Göttweiger Salbuch, which probably got its
name from a settler named Pero, who settled here with a group around
1070. Also in the annals of Kleinmariazell Abbey in 1136 one can find
the Perendorf foundation estate.
In the course of the following
centuries, Berndorf was often devastated by the Hungarians, later by the
Turks, similar to the other places in the Trieste Valley.
Already
in the 18th century, a metalworking trade settled here, such as the
Neuhirtenberg copper hammer, its successor company, the K. K. priv.
Neuhirtenberger Fabrik metallener Maschinen, already in 1836, in
addition to the hydropower of the Triesting, the first – locally
manufactured – steam engine used in Lower Austria. In the 19th century,
as a result of constant expansion, the metal industry became the main
occupation of the local population. There were about 50 houses with 180
inhabitants around 1844, when the company under Alexander Schoeller and
Hermann Krupp began to produce cutlery with 50 workers. This company
later developed into a global corporation with 6,000 employees under
Arthur Krupp. The entire development of Berndorf was closely connected
with the history of the Krupp family. For example, a private elementary
school and a public bath were built by Arthur Krupp in addition to the
industrial enterprises. For the influx of workers and employees, Krupp
had the districts of Wiedenbrunn and Margareten built at the company's
expense, a total of 260 houses with over 1100 apartments between 1880
and 1918. The neo-Baroque Margaret Church was also built by Krupp. The
urban planner and partially executing architect was Ludwig Baumann.
Berndorf became a market town in 1866 and a town in 1900. At that
time, Berndorf counted about 4,300 inhabitants. The Krupp company
employed 3,500 people from Berndorf and the surrounding area. With the
Landesgesetz of 26 April 1923, Berndorf, St. Veit an der Triesting,
Ödlitz and, until then, each part of the local municipality of
Grillenberg, the village of Veitsau and the Rotte Steinhof merged to
form the municipality of "Groß-Berndorf".
After the Anschluss in
1938, the Arthur Krupp company was incorporated into the German Krupp
Group.
Due to the local industry, Berndorf was also an important
target of the Allied air raids in the later war years of the Second
World War. During the war years, however, the forces of nature did not
stop at Berndorf either, with two times (in 1939 and 1944) the Triesting
caused the strongest floods in its history and caused great damage.
After the end of the war, the metal goods factory was confiscated by
the Soviet army and incorporated into the USIA factories. It was only
handed over to the Austrian state in 1957 and merged with the Vereinigte
Aluminiumwerke Ranshofen (VAW) to form Vereinigte Metallwerke Ranshofen
Berndorf AG (VMW) or Austria Metall AG (AMAG).
Due to financial
problems of the nationalized industry at the beginning of the 1980s,
Berndorf was spun off from the VMW Group again in 1984 and privatized
separately by manager buy-out as Berndorf AG in 1988. In addition, the
smaller SME was created, but it operates in the same division as
Berndorf.
The population development in the course of the 19th and 20th centuries is significantly connected with the development of the Berndorf metal goods factory. At the time of the heyday of this industrial enterprise around 1910, the population had almost quadrupled since the beginning of statistical records in 1869 and reached the historical peak with 12,788 inhabitants. After that, the population gradually decreased, before it reached its lowest level in 1981 with 8,160 people. Since then, the population has been slowly increasing again.
There are 3897 employed people living in the municipality. Of these, 1342 work in the municipality, 2555 commute out. For this purpose, 1913 people from the surrounding area come to Berndorf for work (as of 2011).
There are 5 kindergartens, 3 elementary schools, 2 secondary schools,
a gymnasium, a special education center with a special school and a
music school in Berndorf.
Berndorf Schools
BG/BRG Berndorf
Hallenschule Berndorf, Music and special school
The Medauhof is a
research facility of the University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna.
Road: Berndorf is located on the Hainfelder road B18, which leads
through the Triesting Valley.
Railway: The railway line is the
Südwestbahn (Leobersdorfer Bahn), which used to run from Leobersdorf to
St. Pölten, but since 2004 has ended in Weissenbach an der Triesting.
Cycling: The Triesting Valley cycle path runs through the municipal
area.
Sons and daughters of the municipality
Franz Birner (1920-2009),
politician of the SPÖ
Ernst Höger (1945-2019), politician of the SPÖ
Andreas Pülz (born 1960), Classical archaeologist
Reinhold Schmid
(1902-1980), choir director, composer and pedagogue
Franz Slawik
(1936-1993), school principal, philosopher and former Provincial
Councillor of Lower Austria (SPÖ)
Peter F. Stadler (born 1965),
bioinformatician and chemist