Event Details
St. Leopold, Patron Saint of Lower Austria and Vienna
On Sunday, 15 November 2026, all of Austria commemorates the death of Saint Leopold III, canonized in 1485 and patron saint of Vienna and Lower Austria (together with Saint Florian, also of Upper Austria) since 1663. St. Leopold's Day is not a nationwide public holiday but a regional holiday under state law; it mainly affects schools, offices and public authorities in Lower Austria and Vienna.
Highlights
- Regional holiday in Lower Austria and Vienna on 15 November
- Schools, offices and public authorities closed in both states
- Traditional Leopoldi festival with the "barrel slide" at Klosterneuburg Abbey
- Pontifical Mass and blessing ceremony at Klosterneuburg Abbey church
- Historical link to Melk, near Leopold's birth region of Gars am Kamp
- Numerous wine and folk festivals across Lower Austria around the holiday
Program
Leopold III lived from 1073 to 1136 and came from the House of Babenberg; his death on 15 November has been marked as St. Leopold's Day since his canonization in 1485. Since employees outside public offices are not generally entitled to the day off, most shops stay open, but schools, offices and authorities in Lower Austria and Vienna close for the day. The center of the celebrations is Klosterneuburg, where Leopold founded the abbey that bears his name: for several days around 15 November, the town hosts the Leopoldi festival, with market stalls and rides on the town hall and abbey squares, plus the traditional "barrel slide" down the historic thousand bucket cask in the abbey's Binderstadl. On the holiday itself, a Pontifical Mass followed by the Leopoldi blessing takes place at the abbey church and square; the skull relic of Saint Leopold is on public display during the festival days. In Melk, near Leopold's birth region of Gars am Kamp, the baroque abbey complex likewise reflects the historical importance of the Babenberg dynasty for Lower Austria.
Tickets
The holiday itself and a visit to Klosterneuburg Abbey church are free. For the barrel slide in the Binderstadl, a voluntary donation is usually requested (around 2.50 euros for adults and 1.50 euros for children in previous years), with proceeds going to a children's charity project. Further details on the current year's festival program are available from the Klosterneuburg town and abbey websites.
Visitor Tips
- Use public transport, as Klosterneuburg gets busy on the holiday.
- Bring warm clothing, since much of the festival takes place outdoors.
- Check opening hours before visiting a public office in Lower Austria or Vienna, as offices are closed on 15 November.
- Families with children may prefer a daytime visit, when the open abbey studio and children's programs take place.
- To experience the connection to Leopold's birth region, combine the trip with a visit to Melk Abbey.
