Interesting facts

According to archaeological finds, in the year 2500 BC a precious object made its first appearance in the present region of the Weinviertel. This was a glistening gemstone made of fossilized resin with its origin in the Baltic Sea area. It radiated a certain power and was coveted by many, especially in the south of Europe. This was amber. Its designation as ‘Bernstein’ by the Germanic tribes alludes to the fact that it could be easily ignited. At the end of the 18th century, the trade route was first referred to by its name of ‘Bernsteinstraße’ – Amber Road. It did not follow a straightforward trajectory; rather it encompassed several connections between north and south. The eastern route followed a path between the Baltic Sea and the Adriatic Sea. To circumvent the Alps, it usually followed rivers like the Morava. An amber stone dating from the Late Bronze Age confirms Stillfried as an early settlement along the trade route. Carnuntum, which is located 40 km to the south, was a centre of amber trade in ancient Rome. It was there that raw amber was processed for transport to Aquileia. The Romans were eager road pavers and reconfigured the Amber Road as an imperial and postal route. These routes ran along crushed rock embankments as well as wooden and stone bridges. The Romans quickly understood the advantage of having continuously usable streets for military purposes. Today the EuroVelo routes 9 and 13 are considered attractive connections between the Baltic Sea area and the south of Europe.