Himmelsleiter: Observation Tower in Hochmoor Schrems Nature Park

Rising above the treetops of Hochmoor Schrems Nature Park stands an unusual wooden structure, the Himmelsleiter, or "stairway to heaven." Built from 58 pairs of upright spruce trunks and a suspended steel staircase, this observation tower blends architecture and nature experience in an unusual way.

108 Steps Above the Treetops

A 108-step steel staircase climbs between spruce trunks up to 19.4 meters long, leading to a 33-meter-long platform from which views open up over the bog and forests of the northern Waldviertel. This unusual bird's-eye perspective reveals the wide, flat bog landscape in its full extent.

Architecture in Wood and Steel

The Himmelsleiter combines natural timber with clean, modern steel elements and was deliberately designed as a landmark for the nature park, visible from afar above the treetops. This fusion of art, architecture, and nature experience makes it one of the most unusual structures in the Waldviertel.

The Path From UnterWasserReich

From the UnterWasserReich visitor center, a wide path, also suitable for strollers, leads to the Himmelsleiter in about 15 minutes, embedded within the larger loop trail through Hochmoor Schrems Nature Park. Those who make the climb are rewarded with one of the widest views in the region.