Kirchberg bei Mattighofen: Views, Churches and the Peace Trail

Kirchberg bei Mattighofen combines expansive views with a remarkable ecclesiastical cultural history and paths that offer different ways of exploring the area. Those looking for a holiday apartment or holiday home can choose between experiences in nature, historic ecclesiastical buildings and reflective circular trails. The view from the elevated location is particularly impressive: the village lies on a 586 m-high moraine hill and offers views across the Alpine foothills to the Limestone Alps, including the Dachstein.

Panoramic Views of Lakes and Mountains

From the hill near Kirchberg, the view also extends across Lake Grabensee, Lake Niedertrumersee and Lake Obertrumersee to the Salzburg mountains. This makes it possible to plan a stay in very different ways: you can make the landscape the quiet focus of your trip or combine the views with cultural destinations and walking trails. The experiences cover various themes, so when choosing your accommodation, you can primarily consider which focus best suits your planned holiday.

Parish Church with Baroque Features

A central cultural attraction is the parish church of St. Cunigunde. The church is a Gothic building whose interior was given a Baroque makeover and contains Baroque furnishings. One unusual feature is a mechanical rosary dating from around 1750. It is located behind the small upper altarpiece and depicts the five decades of the “Sorrowful Mysteries of the Rosary.”

Behind the large altarpiece there is also a Holy Sepulchre dating from 1857. It is opened on Maundy Thursday, showing the body laid out in the tomb and the guards. The branch church of St. Martin is also part of the local ecclesiastical history. Dedicated to Saint Martin, it was first mentioned in 1390. Those interested in sacred art, religious traditions and historic buildings will therefore find several different reasons to visit.

Peace Trail, Mariengrotte and Regional Customs

The Kirchberg Peace Trail is ideal for exercise and quiet reflection. The circular trail leads to a place of rest and inner contemplation and also invites visitors from elsewhere to visit Kirchberg. In addition, the Kirchberg Peace Cross was consecrated at the 2009 Harvest Thanksgiving Festival. Both attractions suit a trip where not only a destination but also a deliberately quieter walking experience plays a role.

Another option is the Marienweg hiking trail from St. Marienkirchen am Hausruck to Altötting. Halfway along the route, a short detour leads to the Mariengrotte in the Hildegard Herb Garden. A guided tour with natural medicine experts is recommended at the herb garden. Including the visit to the natural products shop and time for personal questions, it takes around 2.5 hours. Those wishing to focus on this experience can supplement their stay with a guided visit and a section of the hiking trail.

Kirchberg is also associated with a regional custom: the horseback rides to the St. John’s Chapel with its fountain have been continued again since 1980. The parish church, Peace Trail, Marienweg hiking trail and the views appeal to different interests – from culture and history to experiences in nature and religiously themed paths.

Getting There and Choosing Accommodation

Because of its rural location, travelling to the Hildegard Naturhaus by car is recommended; public transport services there are very inadequate. If you include this place in your trip planning, you should therefore take the journey into account at an early stage. When looking for accommodation, you can also consider whether you want to focus your stay primarily on the views, churches and historic features, or on paths and excursions with a spiritual focus.

For comparing other places when planning your trip, you can also find Franking, Weng im Innkreis, Roßbach, Burgkirchen, Handenberg, Sankt Veit im Innkreis, Pfaffstätt and Feldkirchen bei Mattighofen here.

For the higher-level travel overview: Braunau am Inn.