2-Castles Circuit

The 2-Castles Circuit leads you on 10.2 km from the centre of Grieskirchen along the Trattnach up to Tollet Castle, over to Parz Country Castle as well as the Parz Castle Gallery and back to the centre. On the 3:30 hour long trail, you can take in three castles and some expressions of the Christian-influenced region. The 2-Castles Circuit starts at the church square of the town Parish Church in Grieskirchen. If you look up in the centre of Grieskirchen, you can admire the Grieskirchen town grid above your head.
Now walk towards the Schwibbogen with baroque fresco, which was erected in 1604. A few houses further in that direction you will find the Grieskirchen Brewery, where beer is being brewed since 1708. A few houses further on is the Trinity Column, which has also existed since 1708, but has only enriched Grieskirchen's townscape since 1979. Now turn left towards the Trattnach and cross it. Follow the river bank in a north-westerly direction until shortly before the sawmill. Here you cross the river again and with a slight incline you now head towards Tollet Castle.
The first fortification of the present castle was built as early as 1170. The Renaissance style of the castle, which can still be admired in all its splendour today, was built at the beginning of the 17th century. Particularly worth seeing here are the artistically forged fountain in the courtyard and the arcade railings, which date back to the time of construction. From the tower you have an impressive view of the Trattnachtal valley. Today, Tollet Castle houses flats, the Tollet municipal office and the Bezirksheimathausverein (district heritage association). The latter offers a representative cross-section of the district's cultural assets in Tollet Castle, the Upper Austrian State Bee Museum, as well as a Wagner Museum. The rooms are also used for various exhibitions and events.
When you have had time to enjoy the view and the castle, the path leads you further up and back in the direction of Grieskirchen. On the way, you can admire the statue of St. John of Nepomuk. Descend the hill again to the entrance to Grieskirchen, where you will also pass the hospital. Turn left here and walk along Grabenstraße and the Hohlweg past the new school centre in the direction of Parz.
Now the path leads you directly to the Parz castles. Here you will first notice the larger Parz Country Castle, which was built in 1514. On the garden facade of this castle you will find frescoes from the 1580s, which are considered major works of Austrian and southern German Renaissance art, both artistically and iconographically. Thanks to careful restoration work, the frescoes are extraordinarily well preserved over a length of 90 metres and a height of 10 metres. The garden of the country castle is inspired by the Renaissance period, but mixed with modern interpretations.
Next to the Parz Country Castle is the Parz Castle Gallery, which was first mentioned in documents as "Veste Parz" in the 14th century. After a fire in 1820, it was rebuilt, so only remains of the former moated castle remain. Exhibitions of the works of local and international artists are regularly held in the gallery rooms.
Back on the 2-Castles Circuit, your next stop is the Anna Chapel. This chapel was built as early as 1468, but has recently been renovated by the neighbourhood and once again has its own bell. The building of the chapel is late Gothic and has a beautiful ribbed vault as well as a portal from the same style period. The early baroque altar probably dates from the 17th century.
Follow the path in the direction of Grieskirchen for about another kilometre, then you will be back at the church square.
Once there, you will see the Karbrunnen, which was built in 1610 and holds 156 hectolitres of water, in the western part of the square. You must also take a closer look at the town's Parish Church. It was first mentioned in a document in 1075 and was thoroughly renovated at the end of the 20th century. It is truly 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.
Now it's time for refreshments, to which the numerous restaurants, inns and coffee houses in Grieskirchen cordially invite you.