The Habsburgwarte is a 27-meter tall observation tower that stands on Vienna´s highest peak, the Hermannskogel. It lies in Vienna´s 19th district Döbling, on the border with Lower Austria. The Habsburgwarte tower was built by architect Franz von Neumann to resemble a medieval observation tower. Its construction was funded by the ÖTK Österreichische Touristenklub (Austrian Tourist Club) to mark Emperor Franz Joseph I’s 40th Jubilee in 1888. From the peak of the Habsburgswarte, one can view the 22,452 sq. m. of landscape, which make up one-quarter of Austria´s total surface area. In Austria-Hungary, the Habsburgwarte, first called the Hermannskogelwarte, was established as the kilometer zero of cartographic measurements. There´s even a plaque on the viewing platform memorializing this vital fact. The kilometer zero measurement was abolished in the 20’s when Austria adopted the Gauss–Krüger coordinate system. During World War II, the Habsburgwarte tower was damaged. Since the Energieversorgung Niederösterreich (a provider of electricity, gas and heating to Lower Austria) assisted with the tower’s restoration, it was granted the right to use the Habsburgwarte as a radio tower. Today, the Habsburgswarte is operated by the ÖTK, making it accessible to the public on weekends and public holidays from April through October.
A symbolic admission fee is charged to help maintain the Habsburgswarte, which is also on the official Vienna City Hiking Trail 2 – Hermannkogel. It takes you from Sievering, passed the Hermannskogel, to the popular day trip destinations of Cobenzl, the Am Himmel and the Circle of Life Trees, and then back to Sievering. There´s no restaurant or guesthouse on the Hermannskogel, but there are several great guesthouses that you can reach while hiking. The nearest ones are the Gasthaus Zum Agnesbrünl on the Jägerwiese and the Grüass Di a Gott Wirt, both a 15-20 minute walk (based on an adult´s pace); the Fischerhaus, the Häuserl am Roan, the Häauserl am Stoan and the Oktogon Am Himmel are further away with a 30-70 minute hike; and the peak of Hermannskogel, which is only accessible by foot or bike. There are no proper roads or public transportation options, though technically, it should be possible to traverse the Habsburgswarte with a good all-terrain pram. Some route sections are challenging with a pushchair, so we would recommend the use of a baby carrier or child carrier hiking backpack.
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