List Of Holidays In Austria

Austria is a German-speaking nation located in Central Europe. The landlocked nation has an area of 83,879 km², an estimated population of 8,857,960, and is bordered by Germany, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Slovenia, Italy, Switzerland, and Liechtenstein. The country's official language is German and Christianity is its predominant religion. In fact, approximately 58% of Austria's population identified as Roman Catholic in 2017. As a result, many of the holidays celebrated in Austria are religious holidays, while only a small number are national holidays. The public holidays observed in Austria are listed below.

13 Holidays Celebrated in Austria

New Year’s Day

New Year’s Day celebrates the end of the previous year and the beginning of a new year. It occurs on January 1 of each year on the Gregorian calendar.

Epiphany

Celebrated on January 6 of each year, Epiphany is the celebration of the revelation of an immortal God in the form of Jesus Christ.

Labor Day

Labor Day is a national holiday celebrated in Austria, as well as most countries in the world, on May 1 of every year. It is held to honor the nation-building efforts of workers, and in some cases it is also the celebration that welcomes the spring season.

Assumption of the Virgin Mary

In Roman Catholicism, the Assumption of the Virgin Mary honors the day that Mother Mary ascended to Heaven, and is celebrated on August 15.

Austrian National Day

Celebrated on October 26, Austrian National Day commemorates the political milestones achieved in the country since World War II.

All Saints’ Day

November 1 is a day when Christians celebrate all the saints, especially those that are not celebrated on another other assigned day during the year.

Immaculate Conception

The Immaculate Conception is observed by Roman Catholics on December 8 of each year. It celebrates the special birth of the Virgin Mary, who was the mother of Jesus Christ.

Christmas Day

Like many Christians around the world, Austrians celebrate Christmas Day each year on December 25, which commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ.

St. Stephen’s Day

St. Stephen’s Day is observed by Christians to celebrate the ultimate sacrifice made by Stephen, who was the first Christian Martyr. The holiday is observed annually on December 26.

Easter Monday

Easter Monday is observed the day after Easter Sunday, which celebrates the resurrection of Jesus Christ. While widely celebrated, the customs associated with Easter Sunday and Easter Monday vary throughout the Christian world. 

Ascension Day

Observed 39 days after Easter Sunday, Ascension Day is a Christian holiday that celebrates the ascension of Jesus Christ into heaven. Ascension Day is a public holiday.

Whit Monday

Whit Monday is observed the day after the Pentecost, commemorating the day upon which the Apostles of Jesus Christ received the Holy Spirit. It is a public holiday also known as Pentecost Monday.

Corpus Christi

Corpus Christi is a Roman Catholic celebration of the real body and blood of Jesus Christ in the Eucharist. It is also known as the Day of Wreaths.

What Happens During the Holidays?

The holidays described above are all public holidays in Austria. Consequently, people can take the day off work to rest, as well as attend church services in the case of religious celebrations, or national celebrations in the case of the national holidays. Additionally, most businesses are closed on these holidays.