Egon Schiele was born in Tulln in 1890, in the station building where his father was stationmaster, and the town that produced one of the most provocative painters of Viennese modernism is today a quiet, prosperous place on the Danube, known as Austria's garden town. Long before that, it was the Roman fort of Comagena, part of the frontier along the Danube that protected the Roman province of Noricum. One of the fort's towers has survived remarkably well: the so-called Salzturm, a horseshoe-shaped tower on the riverbank, one of the best-preserved Roman structures in Austria. It is part of the Frontiers of the Roman Empire – The Danube Limes, listed by UNESCO in 2021.
The tower stands near the river promenade, and a short walk takes you to the Schiele Museum and the Egon Schiele birthplace at the railway station. The town has a large garden show area and is known for its flower festivals. In summer, the riverbank is lively with cafés and walkers.
For riders, Tulln is a good stop on the way between Vienna and the Wachau. The roads along the Danube are flat and fast, with long straights and gentle curves, and traffic can be heavy, especially near Vienna. To the north, across the river, the Wagram, a long loess terrace covered in vineyards, offers more interesting riding on small roads through wine villages, and beyond lies the Kamptal, with its winding valley road and wineries. To the west, the Wachau, a stretch of the Danube between Krems and Melk lined with vineyards, castles and monasteries, is one of the most beautiful river landscapes in Europe and a classic ride, though busy on summer weekends.
To the south, the Wienerwald, the Vienna Woods, rises in forested hills, with twisty roads popular with riders. Their popularity with riders has brought lower speed limits and frequent police checks on the favourite routes, so ride them with restraint and check for any local restrictions before you go.
Tulln, a town of over twelve thousand people, has fuel, shops and restaurants. Try a Wiener Schnitzel with potato salad, or in autumn, a glass of Sturm, the young fermenting wine, in a Heuriger, a wine tavern, in one of the villages of the Wagram. And stand for a moment by the Roman tower on the riverbank, watching the barges go by, and think about the soldiers who watched the same river nearly two thousand years ago.