Steinerkirchen an der Traun: Nature, Culture and History

Steinerkirchen an der Traun combines a share of the Alm-Auen nature reserve with traditional arts and crafts, cultural events and historic sites. This gives you a choice of different focuses when planning your trip: natural landscapes, market events, cultural programmes, local history or a pilgrimage route with a named starting point and destination. If you are looking for a hotel, the reason for your trip can help you choose the right time to visit.

The Alm-Auen and their location

The municipality includes part of the 100-hectare Alm-Auen nature reserve. The section within Steinerkirchen’s boundaries lies in a narrow strip east of the Alm, in the area of the villages of Atzing and Reuharting. This location gives the natural landscape a specific connection to the municipality. If you would like to make nature part of your stay, you can locate the Steinerkirchen section in this way without confusing it with the entire nature reserve.

The Martinimarkt and cultural programme

The Martinimarkt Steinerkirchen an der Traun is one of Austria’s oldest and largest arts and crafts markets. It has been held in cooperation with the Benedictine nuns’ convent since 2006. This collaboration is a distinct part of the market’s history and connects the event with the local history of the convent. If the Martinimarkt is the reason for your trip, check the date of the next edition before setting your travel dates.

Another cultural offering is associated with Almegg Castle: every year, the Kulturforum Schloss Almegg hosts several exhibitions, concerts, lectures and other cultural events. Almegg Castle is also one of the oldest fortifications in the state. The changing annual cultural programme and the castle’s historical significance therefore offer different points of interest for your stay. Check the current programme before your trip if you would like to plan your visit around a specific event.

Church, convent and traces of the past

Steinerkirchen an der Traun is home to St Martin’s Church; Steinerkirchen an der Traun is an old Benedictine parish. The entrance hall of the church’s south portal contains the tombstone of a Roman couple from the 2nd or 3rd century. It bears witness to the presence of Roman settlers. Another historical milestone relates to the order of the Benedictine nuns’ convent with its paraments: it was established in 1949 from an Oblate community. Local and convent history thus span very different periods, from the Roman artefact to the founding of the order.

Pilgrimage route and getting here

The Benedikt-Pilgerweg OÖ N13 begins at the Benedictine nuns’ convent in Steinerkirchen an der Traun and ends at Lambach Abbey. Its starting point and destination are clearly identified. If you would like to include a pilgrimage route in your travel plans, you can use these two places to check whether the route suits your plans.

Steinerkirchen an der Traun is served by OÖVV bus routes 501 and 503; check the timetable before travelling. You can reach the village by bicycle via the R4 Traun Cycle Path or the R6 Roman Cycle Path and via Fischlham. Bus connections and cycle routes offer different options for planning your journey: for bus travel, the timetable is important; for cycling, you can choose between the routes mentioned. Keep this information in mind if you are combining your stay with an event, a visit to historic sites or the pilgrimage route.

Discover more destinations: Steinhaus bei Wels

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