Hofkirchen im Traunkreis: Crafts and Local History

Anyone interested in traditional crafts and local history will find plenty to explore in Hofkirchen im Traunkreis. The Austrian Saddler Museum is housed in the home of the last saddler in Hofkirchen and features a workshop typical of the region in the early 20th century. In this way, the museum connects a specific place with the history of a craft.

Crafts at the Austrian Saddler Museum

Two faithfully recreated demonstration workshops offer insight into different professions: one shows a saddler’s workshop, the other a shoemaker’s. Both provide a lifelike impression of the respective craft and working environment, and are open to museum visitors. The comparison illustrates that saddlers and shoemakers have their own distinct areas of work. If you are interested in traditional crafts, you can therefore discover two different professional perspectives here.

Children can also get hands-on at the museum: in a mini-workshop, they decorate their own leather bracelet and take it home. The activity combines a museum visit with a creative project of their own, offering a different focus from viewing the workshops.

Collection and guided tour

The museum’s study collection is called “THE LIBRARY OF THINGS” and is intended to eventually include around 6,000 objects. Visitors can view the archive on every guided tour. The collection comprises objects from four centuries. Its time span adds another perspective to the insight provided by the workshops: alongside the working environments on display, the collection’s long history also comes into focus.

Local history between school and parish

The F. Arnleitner School at Dorfplatz 4 is protected as a historic monument under an ordinance. In 1953, it was named “Friedrich Arnleitner – School”. This brings together two different aspects of local history in one building: the school’s protected status and the history of its name, with its specific date. The address at Dorfplatz 4 also places the building in a specific location in Hofkirchen.

The history of the parish can also be linked to a precise date: on 6 December 1326, Hofkirchen became an independent parish. The parish priest continued to live at the monastery. These two details describe different aspects of this development: the parish’s independent status and the priest’s continued residence at the monastery.

Crafts as a focus of your stay

For a stay with a cultural focus, you can choose among the museum’s activities according to what you would like to do: the demonstration workshops offer insights into working environments, children can make their own bracelet in the mini-workshop, and the archive can be visited on every guided tour. This lets you tailor your museum visit to the interests of your travel group. If the mini-workshop is key to your plans, check the current booking arrangements in advance. Together with the history of the school and parish, the craft tradition offers a specific way to explore Hofkirchen.

Discover more destinations: Sankt Marien, Ansfelden, Sankt Florian, Hargelsberg, Kematen An Der Krems, Kronstorf, Enns, Allhaming

Back to the regional travel overview: Linz-Land.