Several of the Veloregio hiking trails (Iron and Wine Trail, Monarchy) include the Iron Mountain (Eisenberg in German) on the border between Hungary and Austria. The area, which is accurately described as a low-altitude mountain range, is cut in two by the gorge of the Pinka River - worth a separate visit.
Iron Curtain Museum - Felsőcsatár
On the Hungarian side, in Felsőcsatar, you will find the Iron Curtain Museum, run and run by Sándor Goják, a former border guard. The Hungarian side of Vas Hill was a border zone before 1990, and only residents of Uppercsatar and those with a border zone pass could cross the vineyard via the military checkpoint on the Pinka Bridge. It was an inaccessible place for foreigners - the former forbidden zone was the place where Sándor Goják opened his restaurant and later the museum. This is how the owner describes the museum's foundation on the special exhibition website:
„Az ötletet szorgos, ám máig tartó gyűjtőmunka követte. Kutattam és gyűjtögettem a korabeli vasfüggöny-maradványokat, különböző tárgyakat, hogy végül a világon egyedülálló módon, elsőként építhessem meg azt az 1948-1989-ig az osztrák-magyar határ mentén több száz kilométeren keresztül húzódó határzár egy darabját, amit a nyugati világ VASFÜGGÖNY-ként ismert. 1965 és 1968 között jómagam is „részese” voltam a Vasfüggönynek: Kőszegen és Pornóapátiban szolgáltam sorállományú határőr szakaszvezetőként.
The museum presents the three eras of the Iron Curtain:
I. 1948/1949 to 20 September 1956 (Hardwood, cast iron and bush windows)
II. from 1957-1959 to 1966-1971 (Bakelite tile tile, plate or bush tile)
III. 1966-1970 to 1989 (S-100 electrical signalling system)
More information about the museum:
https://vasfuggonymuzeum.hu/
Pinkaóvár: fortress system on the hill
On the Austrian side, Burg (Pinkaóvár) is worth a visit, an ancient fortress system is enclosed by the bend of the Pinka. The fortifications, built on Roman foundations, date from around 1000 AD and were extended in the 12th and 13th centuries. The 560 m diameter defensive ring surrounded three fortifications. The settlement, surrounded by a central rampart system, was defended by the Raven Stone and Toboy forts. In the 16th century the castle lost its importance and its stones, which were falling into disrepair, were scattered by the population.
According to the historian József Dénes, the castle may have been the centre of Vas County after the conquest: "The original centre of the county of Vas was most probably not in the present-day Vasvár, but in a huge fortified fortress at the foot of Vas Hill, later known simply as Óvár (with an inner fortress of 4 ha and an outer fortress of 1.5 ha, it is not clear that any part of the fortress is of prehistoric origin!). It is even possible that it may have been originally called Iron Castle. In fact, Pinkaóvár is one of the great fortresses surrounded by a robust rampart. It must have been built in early Hungarian times. After the destruction of its ramparts, a stone wall was erected on its ridge, similar to the castles of Bratislava, Sopron, Abaújvár, Tordavár, etc. This indicates that it was probably still in use in the 12th century. It is probably in comparison with the New Castle (Németújvár), built by Béla III, that it was named "New".
Weinblick: a view from the lookout tower of Mount Iron
The Austrian side of the Iron Mountain offers cellars, wineries, seasonal wine-tasting rooms (Buschenschank), a restaurant and a numbered cycle path. The website of the South Burgenland Tourist Association provides a detailed summary of the main attractions, and for cyclists there are several day tours. The symbolic landmark of the Iron Mountain is the Weinblick lookout, which offers a beautiful panorama of both the Hungarian and Austrian sides. The exact address of the glass-walled platform is Obere Kellergasse 54, 7474 Eisenberg an der Pinka.
Information for cycling tourists in German:
https://www.suedburgenland.info/sehen-erleben/freizeit-natur/radfahren-und-ebike/
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