Ambach – Memorial Sites and Hiking Trails

The Plank Memorial Cross is associated with a person and an event from 1945; the Barbarakreuz is a listed wayside shrine. Hiking here means either taking the short, 4.2-kilometre option on the 1st Circular Wayside Shrine Hiking Trail or using the Ambacher Graben to access hiking trails in the Dunkelsteinerwald. This lets you choose where to go based on different interests: local remembrance or a described hiking option.

Plank Memorial Cross: a memorial on the main road

The Plank Memorial Cross stands on the main road in Ambach, at the entrance to the village from the direction of Oberwölbling. After a right-hand bend, it is on the right side of the road. The approach from Oberwölbling, the village entrance, the bend, and the side of the road are therefore the key points for finding it. The wrought-iron cross bears a corpus, an inscription, and a relief statue of Mary. A corpus is the figure of Christ depicted on the cross; the relief statue of Mary is another visual element of the memorial.

The cross commemorates Richard Plank, a 16-year-old from Ambach. At the end of the war in 1945, he was fatally struck by a projectile at this exact spot. The person, his age and place of origin, and the location are thus closely connected: the memorial cross commemorates a specific young person and the event that took place where it stands. Those interested in local history will find a memorial here marking a precisely identified historical event.

Barbarakreuz: a listed wayside shrine

The Barbarakreuz wayside shrine is located at Reiterhof 1 in Ambach and is protected as a historic monument by ordinance. Its designation as a wayside shrine and its expressly stated protected status provide two specific points of reference. Together with the Plank Memorial Cross, it shows that different types of monuments are identified in Ambach: here, a wayside shrine with designated monument protection; there, a wrought-iron memorial cross associated with a specific historical event. When planning a trip that includes cultural sites, you can distinguish between the two by their respective designations and histories.

Hiking: a short option and a route into the Dunkelsteinerwald

The short option on the 1st Circular Wayside Shrine Hiking Trail is 4.2 kilometres long and runs from Oberwölbling via Ambach. The route description dates from 2021; check current trail conditions before setting out. The specific details for finding your way on this option are its start in Oberwölbling, the stated distance, and its route via Ambach.

Another hiking connection is the Ambacher Graben, which provides access to hiking trails in the Dunkelsteinerwald. These two details help with different planning questions. The route description gives a short option, with its length and route via Ambach; the Graben leads to hiking trails in the Dunkelsteinerwald. You can therefore decide whether to follow the specifically named route or explore the hiking trails. For a stay focused on local history or hiking, these destinations offer different points of interest without implying a set itinerary.

Discover more destinations: Laaben, Viehofen, Wimpassing an der Pielach, Wald, Herzogenburg, Wilhelmsburg, Stössing, Kasten Bei Böheimkirchen.

Back to the main travel overview: Sankt Pölten.