• Liegestühle auf der Schlossinsel
  • Blick in die Donau-Auen

The Schlossinsel in the schlossORTH National Park Centre

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Experience the great floodplains in miniature

Jungle. Adventure playground. Aquarium. This “garden” is something very special. The Schlossinsel (castle island) in Orth on the Danube presents a miniature version of the floodplains. Here visitors can see how the eco system works - conveniently and barrier-free. A great day trip for the whole family. And also a good starting point for a tour of the Danube floodplains National Park which extends from Vienna to Bratislava. So, what are you waiting for? Let’s go to the island! National Park Ranger Christiane Mair joins us on the tour and offers a few of her insider tips.

Eingang zur Schlossinsel
Schloss Orth Eingang
Schildkröte im Augebiet

Open sesame!

Cross the bridge from schlossORTH to the Schlossinsel and you step into a whole new, colourful world. Here you can explore the floodplains at 17 compact interactive points. An insight into the animal and plant kingdoms for all the senses. At the touch of a button, hear the bellow of the floodplains deer and the call of the toad. What the the fur of a wild boar feel like? What paw print does a beaver leave behind? Find out the information at the individual points. Use the accompanying app to delve even deeper into the world here!

At a glance

•    17 Info points for discovering the animal and plant kingdoms of the floodplains
•    Explore on your own or as part of a guided tour
•    Barrier-free
•    Perfect for families - with nature playground
•    May be combined with a tour of the national park and schlossORTH
•    Open from 21 March to 1 November

Ground squirrel. European pond turtle. Pond lilies. 

On Schlossinsel you can see all of this up close. Simply step across the ropeway, through the thicket and down to the underwater observation point. The “heart” of the Schlossinsel offers an insight into life underwater and also some of the Danube’s 60 fish species. A place in which to relax and delve deep down. The European pond turtle and regional colubrid snakes enjoy sunning themselves in their enclosures. Look closely and you will see the Aesculapian snake which, at up to two metres in length, is the biggest regional snake.  Some of the stations are shaped in a different way every day by nature for example the ponds around the island which are fed by underground and rain water. A habitat for small crustaceans, beetles, newts, toads and frogs. 

Schloss Orth Außenansicht
Unterwasserbereich Schlossinsel
Liegestühle auf der Schlossinsel
Blick auf das Schloss Orth
Naturpark-Rangerin bei der Schlossinsel
Skulptur im Hof des Schlosses
Frau überquert Hängebrücke

Walking over the big rope bridge is an experience for young and old!

Insider tips from National Park Ranger Christiane Mair
How much time should I allow for my visit to the Schlossinsel?

A guided tour of the Schlossinsel lasts about two hours. If you want to explore the Schlossinsel on your own, allow about one and a half hours. Families like to spend around half a day here and visit the nature playground or have a break in the schlossORTH courtyard. Ice-cream is sold in the shop.  

What do you take home with you after a visit to the Schlossinsel?

A good understanding of how the floodplains work. Why is it important to let nature be nature? It’s nice to see what a visit to the Schlossinsel can change - especially with children. Some of the classes I show around are really excited at the beginning. But then during the visit the children calm down and can’t stop marvelling at everything. 

What is particularly impressive?

One of the stations called “Life and Death”. Here we show what happens when an animal dies. How within only a very short time, beetles an other insects take over and consume the carcass which clearly shows how the cycle of nature works. It’s really fascinating!

Any more tips?

 

There’s also the aquarium with freshwater mussels and bitterling. That’s a fish which lays its eggs in mussels - a good example of how the different species work together. The bitterling also eats mosquito larvae which is really useful in the floodplains! If you visit in the summer, it is recommended you bring mosquito repellent with you.

DID YOU KNOW...?

...that Austria has its own indigenous turtles. The Schlossinsel area lets you observe first-hand the European pond turtles which call the Donau-Auen National Park home.

Any questions?

The team from schlossORTH National Park Centre is happy to advise you!

schlossORTH Nationalpark-Zentrum
2304 Orth/Donau

+43 2212 3555 schlossorth@donauauen.at learn more