Grand tour of castles and churches

The Great Castles and Churches Tour includes five interesting castles and eight churches worth seeing over a distance of almost 40 kilometers. The tour covers a total of 130 meters in altitude and is easily manageable by e-bike. If you would like a greater sporting challenge, you can also cycle the route.
There are several rest and refreshment stops along the way.

Bikes and e-bikes can be hired from the Bad Schallerbach tourist information office.

The starting point of the tour is Parz Castle, which was built in 1514. On the garden façade of this castle are frescoes from the 1580s, which are considered to be major works of Austrian and southern German Renaissance art, both artistically and iconographically. Thanks to careful restoration work, the frescoes are exceptionally well preserved over a length of 90 meters and a height of 10 meters. The garden of the country palace is based on the Renaissance period, but mixed with modern interpretations.
Next to Parz Castle is the Parz Castle Gallery, which was first mentioned in documents as "Veste Parz" in the 14th century. It was rebuilt after a fire in 1820, which is why only remnants of the former moated castle remain. Exhibitions of works by local and international artists are regularly held in the gallery rooms.
Once you have inspected both castles, the cycle tour can begin. First you cycle to Gallspach, where you can cool off in the natural adventure pool.
The first church worth seeing on this tour is the Catholic parish church in Gallspach. This has existed since 1343, but was redesigned in 2005, with the old church tower and a modern ring-shaped building making the church truly unique.
Your next stop is Gallspach Castle. This is privately owned and can therefore only be admired from the outside. However, the round tower, which has been preserved from the former castle, and the pond-like moat around the castle make it well worth a stop.
Not far away is the Radler-Rast service station, where you can recharge your batteries and those of your e-bike, and the Kiener Chapel, which was built in 1885.
After you have recharged your batteries, the tour leaves Gallspach and the next destination is the parish church of Meggenhofen. The late Gothic church dates from the 14th or 15th century and the characteristic pointed tower roof dates from the 19th century.
The tour continues to Aistersheim.
The first stop here is the Maria Himmelfahrt parish church, built in 1700.
The second stop is the moated castle of Aistersheim, which is considered one of the most beautiful examples of late Renaissance architecture. The castle stands on numerous wooden pilasters and is surrounded by water. The two entrance gates can be reached via the massive wooden bridges. This beautiful building is well worth a visit!
Now the tour takes you to Weibern, to another church worth seeing - the parish church of St. Stephan. This late Gothic church was built around 1500 and the richly decorated high altar, which is the main feature of the church, was most likely created in 1687.
The route continues to Hofkirchen an der Trattnach, where the church is also worth a stop. The original church burned down in 1620 and the baroque church, which can still be admired today, was built between 1712 and 1716.
There are two churches in Taufkirchen an der Trattnach that are well worth a visit. The Church of St. Vitus dates back to the 14th century and was built in the late Gothic period. The parish church of St. Martin was built in the Renaissance style between 1670 and 1680.
From here, the route heads back towards Grieskirchen, first to Tollet Castle. The first fortifications of today's castle were built as early as 1170. The Renaissance style of the castle, which can still be admired in all its glory today, was created at the beginning of the 17th century. The ornately forged fountain in the courtyard and the arcade railings, which date back to the time of construction, are particularly worth seeing. The tower offers an impressive view of the Trattnachtal valley. Today, Tollet Castle houses apartments, the municipal office of Tollet and the district home association. The latter offers a representative cross-section of the district's cultural heritage, the Upper Austrian Provincial Bee Museum and a Wagner Museum in Tollet Castle. The premises are also used for various exhibitions and events.
On the way to the town center of Grieskirchen to the parish church , you will pass the Schwibbogen with its baroque fresco, which was erected in 1604. The church was first mentioned in a document in 1075 and its exterior was thoroughly renovated at the end of the 20th century. It is definitely worth seeing both from the outside and the inside. The associated tomb monument of Sigmund von Polheim and his wife Potentiana is an art-historical rarity from the 16th century.
From here, the route takes you back to the Parz castles.
On the way, you will pass numerous inns, cafés and restaurants, which invite you to linger and enjoy a refreshment.

Free cycle map available at the tourist information offices in Bad Schallerbach and Gallspach