12TopTouristAttractionsinLinz&Easy

DayTrips
WrittenbyBryanDearsley

Linz,thecapitalofUpperAustriaandthecountry'sthirdlargestcity
afterViennaandGraz,liesinanattractivelocationonbothbanksofthe
RiverDanube,whichwidenshereafteremergingfromitsnarrowpassage
throughtheoutliersoftheBohemianForestintotheLinzbasin.Famousfor
itsfinechurches,museums,andculturalactivities,thecitywashometo
manyofAustria'smostfamouscreativetypes,includingnovelistAdalbert
Stifter,composersWolfgangMozartandAntonBruckner,andthefamous
scientistJohannesKepler.OneofthemostpicturesqueAustriancities,its
positionontheDanubemakesitanidealspotforariverexcursionor
explorationofthesurroundingcountrysideandattractions.

1SchlossmuseumLinz

SchlossmuseumLinz

OverlookingtheDanube,theimposingLinzCastle(LinzSchloss)has
dominatedthecityforcenturies.Recordsindicatethesitehasbeen
hometoafortresssincetheearly9thcentury,theremainsofwhichcan
stillbeseenaroundtheoldwallsandtheFriedrichGate,whilethe

presentstructuredatespredominantlyfromthe16thcenturyandwas
rebuiltafterafirein1800.NowhometotheexcellentSchlossmuseum,
thecastlehousesimportantartandhistoricalcollectionsalongwith
displaysfeaturingartifactsfromtheprehistoric,Roman,andmedieval
periods,includingpaintings,sculptures,arms,andarmor.Themore
modernSouthWingcontainspermanentexhibitsregardingnatureand
technologyaswelltemporaryexhibits.
Address:Tummelplatz10,4020Linz
Accommodation:WheretoStayinLinzTripAdvisor.com

2St.Martin'sChurch

St.Martin'sChurch
Aichinger

Ralph

JustbelowLinzCastle,inRmerstrasse,standsquaintlittleSt.Martin's
Church(Martinskirche),theoldestchurchinAustriatobepreservedin
itsoriginalform.BuiltontheremainsofRomanwallsthatcanstillbe
seeninthebuilding'sexterior,thisremarkable8thcenturychurchis
characteristicoftheearliestCarolingianarchitecture.Highlightsofavisit
includeaninteriorrichwith15thcenturyfrescoes,alongwiththe
outlinesofolddoorwaysandwindowsinthesidewallsdatingfromthe
Gothicperiod.ARomanovenisvisible,andmanystonesinsidethe

churchbearRomaninscriptions,whilerecentexcavationshave
revealedtheroyalhalloftheformerimperialpalace.
Address:Rmerstrae/EckeMartingasse,4020Linz

3ArsElectronicaCenter

ArsElectronicaCenter

TheexcellentArsElectronicaCenteralsoreferredtoastheMuseum
oftheFuturewasfoundedin1996andmovedtoitspresentultra
modernlocationontheDanubein2009.Designedtoshowcasethe
city'sreputationasadynamiccenteroftechnology,media,industry,

andart,thecenterfeaturesexhibitsfocusingonthetechnologyshaping
ourmodernworld,includingdisplaysrelatedtoclimatechangeand
pollution,spaceexploration,biotechnology,androbotics.Thecenteris
alsothesiteoftheannualArsElectronicaFestival,whichrecognizes
worldleadersincomputermusic,animation,interactiveart,andweb
design.Temporaryandspecialexhibitionsareheldregularlyatthe
center.BesuretotakeawalkalongtheDanubeaftersundowntosee
thecenterandotherareamuseumslitupaspartofastunningriverside
lightshow.
Address:ArsElectronicaStrae1,4040Linz

4LentosArtMuseum

LentosArtMuseum

AnotherofLinz'sultramodernmuseumsonthebanksoftheDanube,
theLentosArtMuseumopeneditsdoorsin2003asthesuccessorto
theNewGalleryandhassincebecomeoneofthemostimportantart
galleriesinAustria.Highlightsofthisspectacularmuseumitselfawork
ofartwhenlitupatnightareitsrichcollectionofmorethan1,500
piecesofartwork,includingexamplesfromthe19thcentury,aswellas
ClassicalModernismmasterpiecesbythelikesofAustriansGustav
KlimtandEgonSchiele.Otherhighlightsincludeacollectionof
importantworksfromtheGermanandAustrianExpressionist

movementofthe1920sand1930s,aswellasinternationalworksfrom
thepostwarperiod.Themuseumalsohasanotablecollectionof
sculpture,sketches,andphotographs.
Address:ErnstKorefPromenade1,4020Linz
Officialsite:www.lentos.at/html/en/

5TheNewCathedral

TheNewCathedral

ThesplendidNewCathedraloftheImmaculateConception(Neuer
Dom)isathreeaisled,NeoGothicpillaredbasilicaofyellowsandstone
withanambulatorysurroundedbyaringofchapels.Thismassive
building,constructedbetween1862and1924totheplansofCologne
architectVinzenzStatz,coversalargerareathanVienna'sSt.
Stephen'sCathedral.Highlightsincludea135meterhightower,the
greatorganbuiltin1968,anditscryptwiththegraveofFranzJosef
Rudigier,Linz'sbestknownBishop(alsoworthnotinginthecryptisits
largenativityscene).Thecathedralalsoincludesaspectacularstained
glasswindow(theLinzWindow)depictingthehistoryofthetown.
Afterwards,besuretovisittheBishop'sPalace(BischflichesPalais).
Datingfrom1726andoriginallypartoftheKremsmnstermonastery,
it'snotableforitsuniqueirongatewayandstaircasebuiltin1227.

6St.FlorianAugustinianAbbey

St.FlorianAugustinian
Abbey dorenawm

Just20minutessouthofLinz,theSt.FlorianAugustinianAbbeydates
from800ADandwasbuiltoverthegraveofSt.Florian,aRoman
officialmartyredin304ADforbecomingChristian.Thepresent
Baroquestructurewasbuiltbetween1686and1751andremainsan
importanttheologicalseminaryfamousforitsboys'choir(trytoplan
yourvisittocoincidewithoneoftheirregularconcerts).Tourhighlights
includetheimpressivemaindoorwaywithitsmassivestatuesofAtlas
andVirtuetheimposingAbbeyChurchwithitstwinBaroquetowers,
stuccodecoration,andBrucknerorganandthecrypt,whereorganist
AntonBrucknerliesburied.AlsoofnotearetheImperialApartments
(Kaiserzimmer),onceusedbyvisitingEmperorsandPopesSt.
Sebastian'sAltarwithits14early16thcenturypaintingsbyAlbrecht
Altdorfer,amasteroftheDanubeschoolthemagnificentlibrarywithits
ceilingpaintingsandRococogalleryandtheSt.Florianartcollection.A
restaurantisonsite,andforatrulymemorableexperience,affordable
B&Boptionsareavailableintheguesthouse.
Address:Stiftstrae1,A4490St.Florian
Officialsite:www.stiftstflorian.at/en.html

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7BotanicalGardens

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BotanicalGardens

NeartheoutskirtsofLinz,ontheeasternslopesoftheFreinberg,a30
minutewalkfromthecitycenter,thesplendidBotanicalGardensare
consideredamongEurope'smostbeautifulgardens.Hometomore
than10,000speciesofplantsspreadovernumerousattractive
flowerbedsandfivegreenhouses,thegardenfeaturesmanyexotic
specimens,includingalargecollectionofcacti,asuperbRosarium,
numerousalpineflowersintheAlpinum,andawellstockedTropic
House.TheBotanicalGardensalsohostsnumerouseventsthroughout
theyear,includingflowershowsandconcerts.
Address:Roseggerstrae2022,4020Linz

8WilheringAbbey

WilheringAbbey

AbouteightkilometerswestofLinzonthesouthernbankoftheDanube
standsthelittletownofWilhering,famousforitssprawling12thcentury
Cistercianabbey.Foundedin1146andrebuiltinthe18thcenturyafter
adevastatingfire,WilheringAbbey(StiftWilhering)iswellworthtaking
theshorttripfromLinztoexplore(especiallyifyoucandoitbyboat).A
highlightisthemodernartgalleryinaformerguesthousethoughtto
betheoldestsurvivingpartofthecomplexwithanumberofpaintings
byFritzFrhlich.Thechurchisalsoworthvisitingandboastsoneofthe
finestRococointeriorsinAustriaandanumberofattractivefrescoesby
BAltomonte,includingtheGlorificationoftheMotherofGod.Alsoof
noteareitsfinechoirstallsandwallgraves.
Address:Linzerstrae4,4073Wilhering

9SteelWorld

SteelWorld

dorenawm

InrecognitionofLinz'sdecadeslongroleasacenteroftheAustrian
steelindustry,thecountry'slargeststeelmanufacturer,VoestalpineAG,
hascreatedafascinatinglookattheindustry.SteelWorld(Voestalpine
Stahlwelt),intheheartofthecountry'slargestindustrialcomplex,gives
visitorsachancetoenterafullsizereplicaofablastfurnace,alongwith
numeroushandsondisplaysshowingthemanufacturingprocessfrom
starttofinish.Alsoofinterestarethe80largechromeplatedspheres

someasbigastwoandahalfmetersindiameterilluminatedtoshow
themanyusesofsteel.
Address:VoestalpineStrae4,4020Linz
Officialsite:www.voestalpine.com/stahlwelt/en

10HauptplatzandLandstrasse

LinzWindows

The1,200meterlongLandstrassestretchesfromthePromenade
towardsthemainrailroadstationandisthebestplacetobegin
exploringLinz'shistoriccitycenter.OntheeastsidestandtheUrsuline
Church(Ursulinenkirche)from1772andtheCarmelite
Church(Karmelitenkirche)builtbetween16741726.Anotheroldchurch
istheSeminaryChurch(Seminarkirche),asmallroundstructurewitha
fineinteriorbuiltin171725fortheTeutonicOrder.Theotherpartofthe
oldcitytoexploreistheHauptplatz,theoriginalMarketSquare.This
largepublicspace,surroundedbyhandsomeBaroquebuildings,forms
thecenteroftheoldtown.Onitseasternsidestandsthe17th
centuryRathausandoppositeit,inthemiddleofthesquare,is
theTrinityColumn(Dreifaltigkeitssule),a20meterhighmarble
columnerectedin1723inthanksforthetown'spreservationfrom
plagueandTurkishattack.AcrossfromtheRathausistheFeichtinger

Haus,withabeautifullyarcadedcourtyard.

11APilgrimagetoPstlingberg

APilgrimagetoPstlingberg

HighaboveLinz'sUrfahrdistrictistheprominenthillknownasthe
Pstlingberg.Thebestwaytogettherefromthecitycenterisviaa
narrowgaugeelectricrailroad,thePstlingbergbahn,establishedin
1898andstillcarryingthousandsofriderseachyearalongitsfive
kilometerroute.Oncethere,besuretovisittheexquisitePilgrimage
church.Builtin1748,itsmostnotablefeaturesincludeitsbeautiful
18thcenturyPietofcarvedwoodanditsmagnificentviews.

12TheOldCathedral

TheOldCathedral

OftenreferredtoasLinz'sOldCathedral(AlterDom),thetwintowered
JesuitchurchofSt.Ignatius(Ignatiuskirche)isfamousforitsrichItalian
decorations.Alsoofnoteisitsorgan,famouslyplayedbyAustrian
composerAntonBrucknerandnowknownastheBrucknerOrgan,as
wellasitshighaltardatingfrom1683andpulpitfrom1678.Notealso
therichlycarvedchoirstallsfrom1633depictinggrotesquehumanand
animalfigures,aswellasstrangedwarfs.Alsoofhistoricalsignificance
isthenearbyLandhaus,seatoftheprovincialgovernmentofUpper
Austria,builtin1571onthesiteofanearlierMinoriteconvent.The
building'smagnificentdoorwaybearsthecoatsofarmsoftheoriginal
Austrianprovinces,whileitscenterpieceisthefinearcadedcourtyardin
whichconcertsarestillstaged.Thefocalpointofthecourtyardisan
octagonalPlanetFountainfrom1582.From1612to1626,the
astronomerandscientistJohannesKeplertaughthereinthecollege
thatonceoccupiedthebuilding.

DayTripsfromLinz
TheOldTownofWels

TheOldTownofWels
schaefer

dierk

About35kilometerssouthwestofLinzistheoldtownofWelsina
beautifullocationontheleftbankoftheRiverTraun.Ahighlightofa
visitisstrollingaroundthehistoricStadtplatz,alargeopensquare
that'spartlypedestrianizedandlinedwithhandsomeoldmerchants'
housesandthetown'ssymbol,theLedererturm,alargemedievaltower
builtin1376(alongwiththe16thcenturyWasserturm,itformspartof
theoldmedievalwalls).Onthesouthernsideofthesquarestandtwo
fineBaroquebuildings,thestatelyKremsmnstererHof,oncepartof
KremsmnsterAbbey,andtheTownHall(Rathaus)datingfrom1748,
infrontofwhichstandstheStadtbrunnen,areconstructionofthe
originalfountainfrom1593.Alittlefurthersouthandwellworth
exploringisthesmalltownofWindischgarsten,apopularwintersports
andhealthresortinthevalleybasinoftheRiverTeichlbach.
AnotherpleasantdaytripistotheMhlvierteltothenorthwestofLinz,
popularforitsexcellentwalkingtrailsthroughamixofwoodlandand
fieldspastoldcastlesandruins,aswellasmanyquietlittlemarket
townsandvillages.

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