The best running trails around Groß-Siegharts

Fun spot for a break in between, but no shade

Normally, the Thaya is very shallow here and flows over stones like a small waterfall. Looks nice.

A great hiking destination that you can hike to in many variations.

Vestenpoppen Wohlfahrts Tayabrücke

Text of the information board on the Predigstuhl (Part 2) HISTORY: The Predigstuhl is a 1st order triangulation point (highest accuracy survey point). In the 17th century, priest Georg Matthäus Vischer was one of the first cartographers to draw the country based on his travels. In the years 1669 and 1670, Vischer, as "Geographus of the Lower Austrian Estates", created the first map of our federal state. One hundred years later, with the support of Maria Theresa and her husband, the surveying of Austria was commissioned. Jesuit Father Josef Liesgang made this project possible through his triangulation survey (measurement of a triangular base). In the years 1865, 1867, 1873, 1891, and 1897, exclusively military triangulations were carried out on the Predigstuhl, during which both survey control and degree measurements as well as astronomical measurements were performed. In 1921, three years after the end of the First World War, a border triangulation was carried out on the Predigstuhl, and the boundary stone from 1897 was also found. After the pyramid was built in 1932, various checks and measurements were still carried out in the years 1935, 1936, and 1937. In 1939, with the start of the Second World War, the entries in the survey archive end. Thanks for the support on this project to the following gentlemen in alphabetical order: Josef Dimmel - Photo of the pyramid Adi Hauer - Patron of the project Dr. Med Gerhard Lang - Landowner Rupert Meyer - Support point Waidhofen/Thaya - Calibration and Surveying Christian Stögerer - Project leader Friedrich Stögerer - Work deployment Prok. Hans Widlroither - Organizer of the text material Erection of this board: October 2000

Text from the information board on the Predigstuhl (Part 1) The Predigstuhl (718 m) The area of our home district is a plateau at an altitude of 450 to 550 meters. Three mountain ranges rise on it, running almost parallel from south to north. The main ridge divides the district into two approximately equal parts. It enters the district north of Weinpolz, reaches its highest point in the Predigstuhl at 718 m, and then flattens out towards the Thaya. In the 1930s, due to the then existing observation tower, popularly called the Pyramid, the Predigstuhl was a popular destination for Sunday hikes. Exactly at this spot, a wooden pillar of this pyramid was anchored in the ground. Hikers from Groß Siegharts, Dietmanns, Waidhofen, and the surrounding villages enjoyed the distant view of Schneeberg and Ötscher from this destination of their foot march, in clear weather. This view is now obstructed by the tall trees. Instead, the silhouette of the Dukovany nuclear power plant can be seen as a rather oppressive distant view to the north. In the aluminum box below, you can find a stamp with an ink pad. There is also a "summit book". You can sign this book.

If you are itching on your back on a bike ride or your bald head tolerates a polish, you will find a quick fix in an innovative way thanks to the Glotzn polishing machine and Bugl-Krotzbirschtn. Alternatively, you can loosen up your dated helmet hairstyle again.

The Predigtstuhl is a popular destination for hikers and cyclists. At 718 meters, it is the highest point in the Waidhofen an der Thaya district. In the 1930s, there was an observation tower here, of which only a few anchor holes remain. The observation tower was popularly called the "Pyramid". I still remember when I was a child and my father said "Gemma auf Piramidn", everyone knew that the Predigtstuhl was meant. Whether anyone today still associates the term "Pyramid" with the Predigtstuhl, I dare to doubt. Small detours into the forest around the Predigtstuhl are definitely worthwhile. There are plenty of large and small rock formations to discover. A sign "View to the Dukovany Nuclear Power Plant" is still present, but the view of the nuclear power plant has probably been blocked by the tall trees for some years now. I tried a few times last year to find the view again, but failed (Dukovany is only 65 km from Waidhofen an der Thaya). In this spirit: "Gemma auf Piramidn!" Addendum May 2020: I fear that the Predigtstuhl will not look the way it does now for much longer. Several years ago, we were able to prevent it from being cleared to make way for wind turbines with signatures. Now the bark beetles are here - and no signature will help against them. The felling has already begun. I hope that at least the giant beeches will survive - the beeches that were already giant 60 years ago when I was still small!