Devín Castle

Devín Gate, Hainburger Gate or Hungarian Gates (Slovak: Devínska brána, pronounced [ˈɟeʋiːnska ˈbraːna]; German: Hainburger Pforte) is a natural gate in the Danube valley at the border of Slovakia and Austria. It is one out of four geomorphological areas of the Devín Carpathians, part of the Little Carpathians mountain range. Passau, Devín Gate, and the Iron Gates divide the Danube river into four distinct sections. Devín Gate has been inhabited since prehistoric times, with continuous settlement since 5000 BC. It was a strategic part of the ancient Amber Road connecting Northern Europe with the Mediterranean and during the Middle Ages, five castles have been built here, Heimenburg Castle, Rothelstein Castle, Pottenburg Castle, Devín Castle, and Bratislava Castle. It was continually guarded since Roman times and it has served as a border of the Roman Empire, Austrian Empire, the Iron Curtain during the Cold War and finally a border between Austria and Czechoslovakia, today Slovakia. On 1 May 2004 Slovakia entered the Schengen Zone, allowing free movement of persons for the first time in history.

The Morava (German: March, Hungarian: Morva, Polish: Morawa) is a river in Central Europe, a left tributary of the Danube. It is the main river of Moravia, which derives its name from it. The river originates on the Králický Sněžník mountain in the north-eastern corner of Pardubice Region, near the border between the Czech Republic and Poland and has a vaguely southward trajectory. The lower part of the river's course forms the border between the Czech Republic and Slovakia and then between Austria and Slovakia.

The Battle of the Theben Pass, also known as the Battle of Moson, was fought in the Theben pass near Wieselburg, where the March meets the Danube, in 1060. It was a victory for the nationalist part in Hungary over that of their own pro-German king. In 1058, Solomon, son of Andrew I of Hungary was betrothed to Judith, daughter of the Emperor Henry III. In Hungary, however, a party opposed to such close ties with Germany arose, led by Béla, Andrew's brother. A German embassy composed of Eppo, Bishop of Naumburg, and William, Margrave of Meissen, was sent to Hungary to negotiate with the national party, but this merely provoked a backlash. In 1060, Andrew and his queen, Anastasia, attempted to flee Hungary for the March of Austria, but were trapped by Béla in the pass of Theben. Andrew was immediately taken captive, but Anastasia with her son and the royal treasure escaped to the Melk Abbey. Andrew was killed in a subsequent charge of the Hungarian cavalry, but the Margrave William and a certain Bavarian named Poto fought from sunset until sunrise so that "the deeds of the very bravest of men of former times seem small in comparison." They held out until Béla promised to spare their lives; surrender was then made. William, Poto, and the rest of the embassy were all taken captive by the Béla and expelled. Poto would henceforth be known to the world as Poto the Brave.

Devínska Kobyla (Slovak pronunciation: [ˈɟeʋiːnska ˈkɔbila]; Hungarian: Dévényi-tető; German: Thebener Kogel) is the highest peak in the Devín Carpathians, part of the Little Carpathians mountain range, and the highest point of Bratislava, the capital of Slovakia. It is located between the boroughs of Devínska Nová Ves, Devín and Dúbravka, close to the border with Austria. Its peak elevation is 514 m (1686.3 ft) AMSL and its treeless summit contains an abandoned military missile base (Slovak: Rádiotechnická hláska protivzdušnej obrany štátu) that is officially inaccessible to the public. Part of southern slopes of the massif has been a national natural reserve since 1965, featuring unique xerothermic forest-steppe flora and fauna with a total protected area of 101 hectares. From the flat top, a view opens of Bratislava, Austria, Hungary, the Danube and the Morava river. Hiking trails do not lead to the summit but instead to an accessible point with partial view underneath.

Braunsberg is a 346 m high limestone massif in Hainburg an der Donau, Austria, on the shore of the Danube. Its plateau used to host a Celtic town, and still bears traces of the Celtic-Roman era.

Bratislava Foothills (Slovak: Bratislavské predhorie) is a small mountain range located in Bratislava, the capital of Slovakia. It is part of the Devín Carpathians mountain range, located in the northwest of the city. Mean altitude of the mountain range is 250 metres above sea level.

Hainburg an der Donau (also referred to simply as Hainburg) is a town located in the Bruck an der Leitha district in the state of Lower Austria of eastern Austria. In 2021 it had a population of about 7,000.

The 2010 Bratislava shooting, or the Devínska Nová Ves shooting, occurred on 30 August 2010, when eight people were killed and 17 others injured by a lone gunman who opened fire in Devínska Nová Ves district in a suburb of the Slovak capital, Bratislava. The gunman then committed suicide. The shooting spree took place both inside a local panel building and later in the street outside. This was the second-deadliest attack in the modern history of Slovakia. This was also the first time in Slovak history that a mass murderer went on a shooting spree. According to Police President Jaroslav Spišiak, Slovak police has to consult with other countries and find the best procedures for these cases, something that has not yet been done, as of February 2011. The shooting remains controversial not only because the killer's motive remains unknown, but also because of purposefully withholding information from the public by the authorities and what is generally perceived as a failed police action.

Wolfsthal is a town in the district of Bruck an der Leitha in Lower Austria in Austria. It along with neighboring Berg were part of the municipality of Wolfsthal-Berg until 1996. It is the end of the line for S7 Vienna S-Bahn trains.

Hundsheimer Berg is a hill located in the Hundsheimer Berge hill range in Lower Austria, Austria close to the border with Slovakia. Its peak is 481 metres (1,578 ft) above sea level which makes it the highest hill in the Hundsheimer Berge. The north slopes of the Hundsheimer Berg are covered with forests while the southern slopes have a steppe vegetation. Since 1965, a nature reserve with the same name, Hundsheimer Berg, is located on these southern slopes.

Schloss Hof is a palace located in Marchfeld, Austria near the border of Slovakia. It once belonged to Prince Eugene of Savoy who purchased it late in his life in 1726. He had it enlarged in the Baroque style by the architect Johann Lukas von Hildebrandt in 1729, and used it as an elaborate hunting lodge. He left it to a niece in his will, and it was later purchased by Empress Maria Theresa of Austria and became part of the imperial estates. The castle was built in the 1620s to the east of what was then the medieval fortress of Hof. After Prince Eugene of Savoy acquired the complex in 1725, he expanded it into a representative country residence. In 1755 the castle came into the possession of Austria's sovereign Maria Theresa. From 1773 to 1775, Franz Anton Hillebrandt carried out a conversion and expansion to give it the appearance it has today. The Baroque garden was reconstructed in its historical appearance by 2019.

Hundsheimer Berg is a nature reserve in the Austrian municipalities of Hundsheim and Hainburg an der Donau in the province of Lower Austria located on the slopes of the Hundsheimer Berg. Half of the reserve is owned by WWF Austria with the other half being owned by the municipality of Hundsheim. The Hundsheimer Berg is for example used for excursions by the University of Vienna.