History and UNESCO in Upper Austria
Tassilo* tells the story...
… of the world’s oldest salt mine. Of submerged pile dwellings and Roman legionnaires. He takes us to magnificent monasteries and mighty ruins, guides us through beautiful cities and shows us the magical places built for summer retreats. Because where we come from determines who we are.
*Tassilo III. (741-796), Duke of Bavaria. He is credited with founding Kremsmünster Abbey in Upper Austria — legend has it at the site where his son had a hunting accident. One of Upper Austria’s most significant art treasures, the Tassilo Chalice, is attributed to him.
1,100 years of Saint Wolfgang
When Saint Wolfgang was in exile, he determined the location of the first church on Lake Wolfgang with a miraculous axe throw. In the Middle Ages, the pilgrimage to St. Wolfgang became one of the most important religious pilgrimages.
On the 1,100th anniversary, Lake Wolfgang celebrates its patron with a Wolfgang Play on the lake, an international art festival and much more.
Winding alleys in the old town, magnificent town houses on the town square, the marriage of the rivers Enns and Steyr. The city of Steyr is at the same time a focal point of early industrial history and gateway to the natural paradise of the Kalkalpen National Park.
Under the name "Ovilava", Wels was the capital of the province of Ufernoricum 2,000 years ago. Attentive city strollers will find traces of the Romans here in all kinds of places and squares. the central location in the heart of Upper Austria also makes Wels a popular destination for shopping excursions.
The view from Gmundner Rathausplatz across Lake Traunsee to the Traunstein is a "must see" for every visitor to Upper Austria and the Salzkammergut. The town on the northern shore of Lake Traunsee is also known for the Seeschloss Ort and for Gmundner ceramics, which embody tradition with style.
Emperor Franz Joseph loved "his" Ischl so much that he came to the Salzkammergut every summer. Strolling through the town, the imperial legacy is always present. And yet there is more to discover here: a cable car ride up the Katrin, the "heart mountain" of the people of Ischl. Relaxing in the Salzkammergut thermal baths. And, and, and...
As a trading hub on the way to Bohemia, Freistadt was already important in the Middle Ages. Even today, it is possible to take a walk around the preserved city wall. But Freistadt has always been a town of brewers. If you love beer and want to find out what a brewing community is, you should definitely stop by here.
The colourful baroque facades of Silberzeile on the Upper Town Square are the landmark of Schärding am Inn. Built close to the water, this town has always been a bridge town between Upper Austria and neighbouring Bavaria on the other bank of the river.
Bavarian Baroque also characterises the town centre of Ried. After all, the Innviertel region only found its way to Upper Austria in 1779. Ried is a town of the art of brewing and cultivated, cosy hospitality. However, the shopping and trade fair town was also the seat of the world-famous Schwanthaler family of sculptors.
The town of Braunau lies on the River Inn between Bavaria and Upper Austria. A gem, with many surprising highlights. For example, one of the highest church towers in Austria. A unique medieval bathhouse. And one of the longest surviving beards with a curious history.
Castles with history
Castles are history turned into stone. The homes of former noble families can open a window into a fascinating world. For example, Greinburg Castle, Austria’s oldest residential castle, is owned by the House of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha. Starhemberg Castle in Eferding, on the other hand, tells a diverse family history spanning centuries.
Museums in Upper Austria
The Romans in Upper Austria
For 500 years, Upper Austria was part of the “Imperium Romanum”. Today, we know Ovilava and Lauriacum as Wels and Enns. Half a millennium that left lasting traces. The Romans were aware of the fertile soil in the Innviertel region and the recreational value of Lake Attersee. They also guarded the Danube border, the Limes.
