Zeiselmauer is a village of about fourteen hundred people on the south bank of the Danube, between Vienna and Tulln, and under its streets lies a Roman fort. The Romans called it Cannabiaca, and it was one of the forts that guarded the frontier of the province of Noricum and later Pannonia. The fort was built of stone, with a square plan and corner towers, and a small civilian settlement grew up around it. The Danube Limes, of which it was a part, was listed by UNESCO in 2021.
What makes Zeiselmauer interesting is that the Roman fort did not entirely vanish. Parts of the wall survived and were incorporated into later buildings, and the village follows the old street plan. You can see sections of masonry in the village centre if you walk around. The name itself comes from the old German for a wall, and it hints at the Roman remains which later inhabitants recognised as an old fortification. The fort at the centre of the village is the place to start, with signs to guide you.
For riding, this is easy and pleasant country. The B14 follows the river from Klosterneuburg to Tulln, and the hills of the Wienerwald come down to the water on the south side. The roads are well surfaced, the villages are tidy, and there are wine taverns at every turn. The Danube floodplain on the other side is a national park, with wetlands, wild boar and a rich bird life. Cyclists share the roads on summer weekends, and the traffic towards Vienna builds on Sunday evenings.
Fuel is available in the larger towns nearby, such as Klosterneuburg or Tulln, since Zeiselmauer itself is small. The village has a couple of inns and cafes, and at the right time of year the vineyards in the hills are heavy with grapes. Autumn brings the new wine, called Sturm, a cloudy, sweet, barely fermented juice that is served in the taverns. Spring is fresh, with blossoms and green slopes. This is a good place to stop and look at a piece of Roman history that is still part of the village.