Neukirchen An Der Enknach

Neukirchen an der Enknach offers cultural history and a range of ways to spend time outdoors. The Gothic parish church and the works of art in the chapels provide a cultural focus; marked hiking trails, connections to cycling routes and a cross-country ski trail add to the picture. This raises a specific question for planning your trip: should your stay be shaped primarily by architecture and art, hiking, or outdoor activities?

Gothic Architecture, Chapels and Church Art

The Parish Church of the Assumption of Mary was built in 1430 in the Gothic style by Burghausen master builder Oswald Bürckel as a two-aisled church with a star-ribbed vault. It is considered the oldest Marian pilgrimage site in Upper Austria. According to the Federal Monuments Authority’s status as of 23 June 2026, the church, together with its cemetery, enclosing wall and portal complex, is protected under Austrian monument protection law. The building’s design and its pilgrimage history each give the church a distinct cultural and historical significance.

The Sebastian Chapel represents a different period: it was built in 1764 in place of an older charnel house. Its Late Baroque altarpiece depicts the plague saints Sebastian and Roch. The contrast between the Gothic parish church and the 18th-century chapel makes the different periods in the town’s history tangible, without any single work of art having to stand for them all.

The furnishings also reveal a variety of details. On the right-hand side of the chancel arch, opposite the pulpit, is a Gothic statue of “Mary with Child” dating from around 1460. The Neukirchen Nelson organ has a total of 1,128 pipes. The Neukirchen Christmas Nativity scene, with around 180 figures, including fully sculpted and dressed figures, is housed in the All Souls’ Chapel. The chapel, organ and statue each offer a different perspective on the town’s sacred art.

Hiking Trails, Waterwheel and Cycling Connections

The trail description, updated in June 2023, lists four hiking trails. Each starts and ends at the village square; yellow signs with distance markers identify the routes. The blue-marked Panorama Trail is 7 kilometres long and offers views of Neukirchen. The red-marked Sandtal Trail is 8.5 kilometres long and leads to the Jäger Chapel. This makes it possible to compare two routes with different lengths and named destinations: the Sandtal Trail is 1.5 kilometres longer, while the Panorama Trail is specifically noted for its views of Neukirchen.

The Panorama Trail also leads to the waterwheel of Dietzingermühle, also known as Bäckermühle. The Bäckermühle in Dietzing has largely been preserved in its original condition and is used to generate electricity. At this excursion destination, a preserved waterwheel and the mill building’s present-day use come together—a different focus from that of the churches and chapels.

Routes in Neukirchen connect the town with cycling routes along the Inn or Mattig rivers; some run partly through the middle of Lachforst. The bicycle charging station at the village square can charge up to eight batteries at once. When planning a day of cycling, both the route connections described and a specific charging point in town are relevant.

A Seasonal Focus in Winter

In winter, a cross-country ski trail adds to the range of sporting activities. The options therefore vary by season: the marked hiking trails and cycling connections are complemented by an explicitly winter activity. If you are looking for a holiday apartment, you can first consider which of these interests you would like to include in your trip plans—church art, hiking routes, cycling days or cross-country skiing.

Discover more destinations: Eggelsberg, Lehrsberg, Tarsdorf, Haigermoos, Ostermiething, Sankt Peter am Hart, Pfaffstätt, Moosbach.

Return to the main travel overview: Braunau Am Inn.