Teufelsmauer, Natural monument in Spitz, Austria

The Teufelsmauer is a rock formation on the Danube between Spitz and St. Johann in the Wachau, where legend says the devil failed to build a wall across the river. The Donauuferbahn railway passes through the Teufelsmauer Tunnel here, at 12.43 metres Austria's shortest operational railway tunnel. The rock has been a Lower Austrian natural monument since 8 August 1929.

The rock formation has been protected as a Lower Austrian natural monument since 8 August 1929. The Donauuferbahn railway later cut through it with the Teufelsmauer Tunnel, which at 12.43 metres is Austria's shortest railway tunnel still in operation.

The name Devil's Wall comes from old local legends about supernatural forces supposedly shaping this rock formation. Stories passed down by residents connect the steep walls to tales of otherworldly beings at work in the landscape.

You can reach the formation best from Spitz by following marked hiking trails that run along the Danube riverbank. Several viewpoints along the way offer good perspectives of the rocks and the surrounding valley.

Specialized plant species grow on the rock walls, adapted to thrive in the harsh conditions of the steep, rocky surface. These unusual plants make the site interesting for those curious about local botany.