Photo: (from left to right: Christian Gepp, Member of the Lower Austrian Parliament and Mayor of Korneuburg, Werner Stark, CEO pronatour GmbH, Michéle Fleischer, Managing Director of Fossilienwelt, Christian Lang, CEO pronatour GmbH, Michael Oberschil, Mayor of Hagenbrunn, Thomas Windsor-Seifert, Mayor of Stetten)
The adventure world in Stetten near Vienna, newly reopened in spring 2025, received a prestigious award at the 30th International Ski Area Test in Kitzbühel.
Stetten (Lower Austria, District of Korneuburg)
Every year, tourism destinations and ski resorts across the Alpine region undergo an anonymous quality assessment. The aim is to identify and honour the very best in tourism. In the summer season of 2025, Fossilienwelt Weinviertel impressed the international jury of the Ski Area Test with its new offerings.
The festive award ceremony took place on 26 September 2025 in Kitzbühel, at the renowned Sonnbergstuben hosted by Rosi Schipflinger, attended by around 450 invited guests. On 28 September, the coveted “Gold” award arrived at Fossilienwelt Weinviertel to great applause. Fossilienwelt Weinviertel was honoured with the title “Adventure & Family Attraction of the Year 2025.”
In addition, the team of pronatour from Leobendorf – responsible for the planning and realisation of the extensive relaunch of Fossilienwelt Weinviertel – received the Award for Idea and Implementation 2025.
The origins of Fossilienwelt Weinviertel
In 2006, a small sensation occurred in the municipality of Stetten: the largest fossil oyster reef in the world was uncovered at the Teiritzberg. In the years that followed, the site was secured and, in 2009, opened to the public together with an exhibition and an adventure playground. Fossilienwelt Weinviertel was born.
Reopening in 2025
“After 15 years of operation, the entire site underwent a complete relaunch and significant expansion,” report Werner Stark and Christian Lang, planners of the redevelopment at pronatour and current operators of Fossilienwelt Weinviertel. Today, this top excursion destination invites visitors to play, explore and discover with a wide variety of attractions.
In the prehistoric tropical paradise, guests can dig for shark teeth, pearls and alligator skeletons, wade through the primeval sea and explore a climbable giant shark. At the fossil oyster reef, a captivating multimedia show brings prehistoric times back to life. From the snail tower, visitors slide down a giant slide into the climbing snail forest. An adventure world for young and old alike, open this year until 2 November.
With this award from the International Ski Area Test, Fossilienwelt Weinviertel receives a special distinction that confirms the high quality of the attraction and highlights its importance as a leading excursion destination in Lower Austria.
