Altenberg Near Linz: Hiking, Panoramas and Architecture

Altenberg near Linz is located on a southern spur of the Mühlviertel Highlands. From its elevation of 593 metres, panoramic views stretch across the Mühlviertel and over the state capital Linz to the Central Region of Upper Austria and the foothills of the Northern Limestone Alps. The view therefore takes in several distinct landscape areas.

Hiking and navigation

A direct hiking trail from Linz to Altenberg runs partly along the former horse-drawn railway. There is also a circular hiking trail through Altenberg and past Kulmerberg, Wetterberg and Geiselsberg. The two routes offer different ways of finding your way: on the route from Linz, the former railway line is part of the trail; on the circular route, the three mountains are waypoints. A hiking map for the routes in Altenberg is available from the Altenberg near Linz municipal office; it can also be downloaded.

Terrain-capable SEGWAY X2s are available to rent in Altenberg. Guided or individually arranged tours can be booked for groups of up to 25 people. Hiking and these tours offer different ways to spend your time here.

Church and architectural history

Altenberg Parish Church is a late Gothic building. Its approximately 42-metre-high tower leans away from the church towards the west. The church also contains a Baroque high altar from the former Sautern branch church of Schlierbach Abbey. The parish church thus brings together late Gothic architecture, the tower’s tilt and a high altar with its own history of origin.

The former municipal office offers a different architectural focus: it was built between 1927 and 1930 to plans by architect Mauriz Balzarek, combining elements of the Heimatstil and Art Nouveau with Expressionist elements. Unlike the late Gothic parish church, the focus here is on the combination of several styles.

Altenberg Resurrection Chapel was renovated in 2012 and 2013. The Weitrager Way of the Cross is an easy circular trail with eleven benches. Signposts for the chapel and the Way of the Cross are located opposite the parish church. This gives you a shared reference point for both destinations, while the Way of the Cross itself is described as a circular route.

History and cultural life

Altenberg was first mentioned in a Passau document in 1245. Neolithic finds show that nomadic groups of hunters and gatherers stayed in the area, at least temporarily. The span of history therefore runs from early finds to the first documentary mention of the settlement. Altenberg was already a destination for many pilgrims in the 17th century.

Every year, on the Sunday after Peter and Paul, the people of Ottenschlag make a pilgrimage to the Mother of Grace in Altenberg. If you would like to plan your trip around this date, check the arrangements for the relevant year in advance. This keeps your plans tied to the specific date.

Cultural life also includes an amateur theatre group that has been active in Altenberg for more than 30 years. The current ensemble comprises around 60 performers; the theatre thus adds another aspect of the town alongside its architectural and pilgrimage history.

Discover more destinations: Ottensheim, Schild, Schenkenfelden, Puchenau, Reichenau In Mühlkreis, Walding, Herzogsdorf, Zwettl An Der Rodl.

Go to the regional travel overview: Urfahr-Umgebung.