Sightseeing in Rust - what to see. Complete travel guide

Travelers know the free city of Rust as the largest wine-growing center of Burgenland, as well as a place accommodating outstanding historical sites. The history of the city is quite interesting: Rust began to be called a royal free city at the end of the 17th century. In those times, the city was under the rule of Hungary. In order to gain independence, the locals decided to make a petition to Leopold I, King of Hungary. They presented him 60,000 golden guilders, as well as an annual harvest of Ruster Ausbruch wine - 500 buckets of the noble drink. In gratitude for such generosity, the king gave the city the opportunity of self-government. Since 1681, Rust has been called Free.

It is worthy of note that, contrary to current laws, Rust remains an independent territorial entity despite the fact that the number of its inhabitants is less than 2,000 people (according to the current legislation, to be able to self-government, the population of an Austrian city must be at least 20,000 people). Over the hundreds of years, the city has been improving and developing its rich winemaking traditions. Travelers will have a chance to stroll through many beautiful vineyards and visit some old wineries.

Fans of excursions will be enthusiastic over strolling through charming old streets, visiting interesting museums and the main historic landmark of Rust - the Fishermen's Church (Fischerkirche). During the walk, attentive tourists will notice one of the most striking features - a huge number of storks, whose nests can be seen literally on all buildings. This surprising feature gave Rust an unofficial name, it is often called the "City of Storks". Since 1980, the Association for the protection of White Storks has been operating in Rust. Its specialists care about increasing the population of these rare birds and providing them with medical care. Copyright www.orangesmile.com

Walking through the city streets, in addition to historical monuments, you can see quite interesting home wineries and shops. Without any doubt, it can be said that you can try and buy a delicious local wine literally on every street. These places are also famous for their unique natural attractions. Nature enthusiasts should definitely make a trip to Neusiedler Lake and stroll around the surrounding nature reserves. Amazing nature and unique national color backed by outstanding historical monuments and cultural traditions are the main attractive features of the royal free city of Rust.

Rust still has its historical district in awesome condition. Some gorgeous old buildings have been transformed into museums and cultural centers. The museum of the city is the best place to visit for everyone interested in the history and development of Rust. The museum is open in the old Kremayrhaus house that is easy to recognize because of its richly decorated portal. The museum exhibits an interesting collection of antiquities and artworks. A large archive occupies a part of the building. Don’t forget to see the luxurious fireplace hall of the museum that is regularly used to host various exhibitions, literature meetings, and music concerts.

The town hall building is another notable landmark of Rust. The orange colored building with the tiled roof was finished at the beginning of the 17th century. Starting from that time and until our days, the town hall hasn’t lost its importance and is still functioning. The Art House is an interesting cultural center that is open in a 17th-century building. In the past, the gorgeous mansion belonged to a local wine seller. Nowadays, the house provides shelter to numerous art studios and artisan workshops. It is a typical location of different exhibitions, during which visitors can purchase works of local painters and sculptors. The center also works as a museum.

Fans of nature usually enjoy relaxing at Lake Neusiedl. This lake is relatively large – its length is 34 kilometers. At a certain time of the year, it is possible to see rare migrating birds near the lake, so there is no wonder why a large part of Lake Neusiedl is a restricted area protected by UNESCO. This region is highly valued for its unique landscape terrain. In warm months, travelers are welcome to explore numerous hiking trails.

If these landmarks are still not enough, consider visiting the nearby region of St Margarethen. Several years ago, a wonderful entertainment park for the whole family opened there. The complex includes numerous amusements and playgrounds for children of different age. Besides that, this region is famous for ruins of ancient Roman quarries that have also become a landmark of an international level. The quarry has been transformed into an open-air concert venue, and an opera music festival takes place there every year.