Discover Altenfelden: Wildlife Park, Hiking Trails and Culture

Altenfelden combines impressive natural experiences with special cultural and historical discoveries. The municipality is located on a ridge between the Kleine Mühl and the Große Mühl rivers. The Kleine Mühl forms the natural eastern boundary of the municipality, while the Große Mühl forms its natural western boundary. Those planning a trip can therefore combine different highlights here: observing animals, hiking along designated trails and exploring notable evidence of local history.

Wildlife Park and Hiking for Varied Days

More than 1,000 animals from over 200 species live at Altenfelden Wildlife Park. For families and other travellers who like to fill a day with memorable experiences, this variety offers many opportunities for shared discovery. The wildlife park also has a shorter hiking route that takes around two hours and passes all the animals. The approximate duration helps you plan your day without having to structure your visit around a single fixed itinerary.

Hiking experiences can also be included in your trip outside the wildlife park. The Mühltal Circular Trail No. 21 is designed as a circular hike. Anyone wishing to find out more about the Wildpark Trail No. 22 in advance can download the available hiking information.

Box Nativity Scene and Chapel History

The parish church of Altenfelden houses a large historic box nativity scene dating from 1820 to 1850. It includes 30 fabric-clad figures and 40 sheep. There is also a wooden ox that has been carved and painted, as well as a wooden donkey that has likewise been carved and painted. The box nativity scene is located in the left side chapel, on a neo-Gothic altar carved by the altar builder Kepplinger from Ottensheim. For visitors who wish to view craftsmanship and religious art together, this ensemble offers a particularly tangible insight into the design of historic nativity scenes.

Another historical detail can be found in the north chapel of the parish church: a gravestone for Gertrude Steinpöck from 1355 stands there. The history of a chapel in Altenfelden also reaches back into the past. Because of the increasing influx of pilgrims from far away, even from Bohemia, the municipality of Altenfelden had a small chapel demolished in 1875 and replaced with a much larger stone chapel. This development reflects the importance of pilgrimage at the time and adds a broader historical context to the visible evidence in the parish church.

Hunting Culture and Regional Perspectives

During the 50th anniversary celebrations in 2019, the Cultum Venandi Hunting Culture Museum was added in the centre of Altenfelden Wildlife Park. It is intended to familiarise visitors with the history and significance of hunting in today’s society and cultural landscape. The wildlife park therefore focuses not only on animals, but also on a subject connected with history, social development and the relationship with the cultural landscape. Anyone who enjoys exploring nature and culture in the same trip can take this focus into account when planning.

The Right Accommodation for Planning Your Trip

When looking for a holiday apartment in Altenfelden, it is worth first deciding on the preferred rhythm of your trip. Should the wildlife park, with its approximately two-hour shorter route, be the main focus, or would you also like to include a circular hike and cultural and historical experiences? The verified local features provide several specific themes to choose from without prescribing a particular itinerary. A holiday apartment or holiday house in Altenfelden can therefore provide the setting for a trip in which nature, activity and history are weighted according to the interests of your group.

If you would like to place Altenfelden within a larger selection of destinations, you can also view the pages for Guglwald, Schönegg, Eilmannsberg, Godersdorf, Lichtenau Im Mühlkreis, Haslach An Der Mühl, Peherstorf and Klaffer Am Hochficht.

To the overarching travel overview: Rohrbach.