Moravske Pole – a Trip to the Medieval Battlefield

Moravske Pole (The Moravian Field) is in Austria near the Morava River. This place is known as one of the biggest battlefields of the Medieval Europe. There is the Memorial to the battle between the Premysl Otakar, the King of Bohemia and Moravia and Rudolf of Habsburg, the King of Rome.

The Czech king tried to recover his lost lands, he found allies and collected a large army, but he was defeated by Rudolph and killed at the Battle on the March on August 26, 1278. That was the end of the rule of the Czech Premysl dynasty and the beginning of the powerful dynasty of the Austrian Habsburgs, which ruled in the Austrian – Hungarian Monarchy until the 1918.

The memorial is six meters high. It is situated near the Jedenspeigen village. There is also a castle, built in the 15th century on the ruins of the older castle, which was the residence of the Habsburgs. Now it is a museum and the site of folk festivities as well as knights tournament to honor the historical battle between two kings.

In direction towards the former border crossing to Slovakia in Hohenau – Moravsky Sväty Jan you can stop at the bird watching lookout tower.

There was pontoon bridge at the the border crossing till July 2005.

How to get to the Memorial

By a car: We have two tips. The first route: From Bratislava- Petrzalka (border crossing Petrzalka – Berg) to Hainburg an der Donau. After Hainburg you turn right to the route number B49. The second route: from Bratislava to the Zahorska Ves village. There is a ferry to the Austria. From Bratislava it is about 65 km to the memorial.

By a bicycle: Use a cycling bridge over the Morava River in Devinska Nova Ves.

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June 10, 2014 - Vlado: Coordinates of the Memorial to the battle between the Premysl Otakar, the King of Bohemia and Moravia and Rudolf of Habsburg, the King of Rome: 48.484290, 16.857286.