Multimedia mound opens to showcase Schandorf’s Iron Age history

A walk-through multimedia burial mound has opened near Schandorf, giving visitors a new way to explore the area’s Iron Age history, ORF reports. Hundreds of burial mounds from the period lie in the surrounding forest.

The exhibition includes an introductory animated film, replicas of archaeological finds and multimedia stations where visitors can read and listen to information about the period. Nikolaus Franz, head of the Archaeology Burgenland working group, said the displays were designed to make the subject accessible.

The burial mounds are almost 3,000 years old. Archaeologist Manuela Thurner said “iron princes” who became wealthy through the metal trade were buried there.

Admission is free. The multimedia mound is open daily from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. through March 31, 2027, and daily from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. from April through the end of October 2027.

The exhibition building stands beside a cycle route on a former railway line. Burgenland Tourism chief Didi Tunkel said it would complement regional activities such as cycling and hiking, as well as visits to thermal baths.

The Schandorf project was partly funded through the EU’s INTERREG ArcheoROUTE project. Burgenland Governor Hans Peter Doskozil said making the past accessible was important for passing local identity on to children and supporting tourism. The municipality hopes other nearby communities will also find ways to present their history.