Discover Lilienfeld: Abbey, Muckenkogel and Trails

Lilienfeld combines an impressive monastic history with mountain scenery and varied trails. Those looking for a holiday apartment can choose between cultural discoveries around the abbey, excursions to Muckenkogel and a cycling tour through the Traisental valley. This makes the town interesting for travellers who do not want to devote their days exclusively to one activity.

Monastic history and special insights

Lilienfeld Abbey, a Cistercian monastery, was founded in 1202 by the Babenberg duke Leopold VI the Glorious. It is considered Austria's largest medieval monastery and continues to shape the cultural character of the town to this day. Without a guided tour, you can enter the medieval cloister, the church, the medieval chapter house and the Neo-Gothic fountain house. This allows you to incorporate the visit into a holiday day according to your own plans.

The abbey's library, created around 1730, is particularly noteworthy. It contains 39,000 modern prints, 119 incunabula and 226 manuscripts. The abbey park also adds another facet of Lilienfeld to the tour: the park landscape, designed in the spirit of the early 19th century, features exotic trees, winding paths, streams and small ponds. After visiting the historic rooms, this creates a peaceful contrast outdoors.

Museum, mining history and Mathias Zdarsky

The Lilienfeld Museum is dedicated to silver and coal mining, the pilgrimage route to Mariazell, and the industrial and natural history of the district. The collections on display include minerals, fossils, an insect collection and a historic weaving room. Important for your planning: the museum is currently closed for renovation.

The name Mathias Zdarsky is also associated with Lilienfeld. He lived in Lilienfeld from the late 19th century onwards and designed a sturdy ski binding that made it possible to ski down steep slopes. Photos and documents commemorating him are displayed in the Zdarsky parlour at the Eberl inn. In the Lilienfeld mountains, Zdarsky developed the “Alpine (Lilienfeld) Skiing Technique”. On 19 March 1905, he held the first slalom race in the history of Alpine skiing at Muckenkogel in Lilienfeld. Alongside its scenery, this history gives the mountain a special sporting-historical dimension.

Trails and views at Muckenkogel

Muckenkogel offers opportunities for walking, hiking, climbing and mountain biking through forests and meadows. From the mountain, the view extends northwards across the Danube valley and far into the Alps to the south. The alpine pasture region around the 1,248 m-high Muckenkogel is accessible by chairlift. Those choosing accommodation in Lilienfeld can combine cultural and landscape experiences within the same trip planning, without limiting their holiday to a single idea for the day.

For a longer tour, the circular route from Lilienfeld to Muckenkogel is available. It includes alpine pastures, viewpoints, two waterfalls and several places to stop for refreshments. The Waterfall Trail leads from the valley station to Kolmer Waterfall and via the Kolm Trail to the Small Waterfall and Lilienfelder Hut. These different trail options allow you to tailor your stay to your interests: one time with views and alpine pastureland, another time with waterfalls and a clearly described trail.

Cycle path and regional orientation

The surrounding area can also be explored by bicycle. The Traisental Cycle Path leads via Wilhelmsburg to Lilienfeld along paved riverside paths and quiet side roads. There are no significant climbs on this section. This complements the mountain-oriented options with another form of exercise and can be a useful consideration when choosing a holiday apartment if you would like to combine different daily programmes.

For further regional orientation, you can also look at Wienerbruck, Erlaufboden, Kaumberg, Türnitz, Eschenau An Der Traisen, Mitterbach Am Erlaufsee, Sankt Veit An Der Gölsen and Sankt Aegyd Am Neuwalde. Lilienfeld itself, with its abbey, park, mountain trails, waterfalls and cycle path, provides a diverse basis for choosing a suitable holiday apartment according to the desired balance of culture, nature and activity.

For the higher-level travel overview: Lilienfeld.