Upper Austria Mariazeller Route: A: 2nd Stage: St. Florian - Steyr

Popis

The second stage of the classic Mariazeller route begins at the Augustinian canons' monastery St. Florian in the namesake town. We traverse the town area southwards and continue our pilgrimage hike towards Hofkirchen in the Traunkreis. At the start, we pass several farms and enjoy the silence and beauty of nature. Only some time later do we arrive at the small pilgrimage town Maria Laah, where pilgrims have sought healing for body and soul for 800 years. The reason is the healing spring, located only a few steps from the church, with its source directly beneath the church altar. From Maria Laah, this stage becomes especially interesting. West of the church, we first reach the cemetery of Maria Laah and then walk down to the Hagleitenbach, where we encounter the Pfaffenstiege. The Pfaffenstiege was first mentioned in documents in 1733 and served the clergy living in Losensteinleiten Castle for their daily trips to mass in Maria Laah. Above the stairs, we find the impressive mausoleum of the princely Auersperg family, built in 1911 by Karl, Prince of Auersperg, then owner of Losensteinleiten Castle. Although the castle is no longer owned by the Auersperg family, the mausoleum still serves as a princely burial site.

Immediately after, we reach Losensteinleiten Castle, which today serves as a care home. The route continues over fields and through small villages to Oberwolfern and from there into the Enzengarn forest, where there is a nice rest area with a stone sculpture marking the Mariazeller route. Shortly afterward, we see on the hills south of the Steyr the pilgrimage church "Christkindl." It was built between 1702 and 1725 by Giovanni Battista Carlone and Jakob Prandtauer. The church's landmark is a ten-centimeter wax Christkindl holding a cross and crown of thorns in its hands, located above the church tabernacle. From the church, it is only a few minutes' walk to the center of Steyr.

Already in Roman times, the so-called Innerberger iron from Erzberg was transported on the old iron road to Lauriacum, to the Roman shield factory. Also, in the early Middle Ages, metals were transported through the Enns and Danube valleys, creating one of Europe's oldest industrial landscapes, the Eisenwurzen. As a result, the city of Steyr became the iron metropolis north of the Alps.

Výchozí bod trasy

St. Florian

Cílový bod trasy

Steyr

Popis trasy Upper Austria Mariazeller Route: A: 2nd Stage: St. Florian - Steyr

The stage (06 and partly 09 route) begins in St. Florian (310 m) from the monastery southwards to Niederfraunleiten, further to Fernbach, Grünbrunn, to the farm Mayr zu Pucha, further to Harmannsdorf, to the road Hofkirchen–Losensteinleiten, either to the church Maria Laah or directly along the road to Losensteinleiten, about 3.5 hours to this point. From here, the road leads to Wickendorf. After this, the 06 and 09 routes split. From now on, follow the 06 markings southwards to Oberwolfern (359 m). Pass the farm Öttl through the Enzengarn forest to Enzengarn (396 m). Pass the farm Huber to Damm (334 m), then cross the federal road and descend to the Steyr River, cross the Krugl bridge (footbridge) continuing in the direction of Rosenegg Castle and to Christkindl street and the pilgrimage church Christkindl (347 m). From Losensteinleiten to Christkindl about 3.5 hours. From Christkindl, directly eastwards along Christkindlweg and Redtenbacherstraße to the city center of Steyr (about 40 minutes). Alternatively, there is also the possibility to hike through Garsten directly to St. Ulrich.