Discover Brunnenthal: Pilgrimage, Music and Hiking Trails

Brunnenthal combines a vibrant history of pilgrimage with music and easy-to-walk hiking trails. Anyone wishing to combine culture, landscapes and shared discoveries during their holiday will find various starting points here for planning their trip. A holiday apartment in Brunnenthal can serve as a base for a stay in which you can organise your daily routine between historic sites, walks and regional cuisine.

Pilgrimage and Historic Buildings

The Bründl is at the heart of the old pilgrimage tradition in Brunnenthal. It lies between the Chapel of Grace and the bathhouse and is regarded as the actual centre of the old pilgrimage. The Chapel of Grace was consecrated on 19 April 1731 by the Bishop of Passau, Dominik Count Lamberg, in honour of Maria Schnee. Today, it is used as a baptistery. Its history can be connected with further evidence of the pilgrimage tradition: the bathhouse was built in 1679/81 as a result of the increasing influx of pilgrims.

The Gnadenbad, also known as the Augenbründl, was already a much-visited pilgrimage site in the 17th century. At the fountain chapel, the water is no longer channelled from the statue’s breast, but is supplied through a separate pipe. A stone statue of the Mother of God with the infant Jesus stands in the covered fountain chamber at the fountain chapel. The Marian pilgrimage in Brunnenthal developed from the healing of Georg Auer, a farmer from the village of Haraberg. The Stonecutters’ Chapel, dating from the second half of the 17th century, depicts a scene from this founding legend and is a building of interest from a folkloric perspective.

Hiking with Different Starting Points

Four easy-to-walk hiking trails run through the municipality, all starting from the village square. The trails pass through varied landscapes and offer beautiful views as far as the northern edge of the Alps. For families or travel groups planning an active day without a fixed pace, this selection provides a practical basis: you can schedule the walk as a separate part of the day and adjust the length of the rest of the programme accordingly, without assuming a specific walking time.

Another option is the Maria Brunnenthal Pilgrimage Trail. It begins at the Schärding boat landing stage and places the pilgrimage within its own route context. If you enjoy combining cultural impressions with physical activity, you can take this starting point into account when planning your trip. For a stay focused on the hiking trails, it may be useful when choosing your accommodation to consider a daily schedule that includes the village square as a starting point.

Baroque Music and Regional Cuisine

The Brunnenthal Concert Summer was founded in 1981 as the “Brunnenthal Organ Summer”. Since 1990, under the artistic direction of Helene Pürmayr, the Brunnenthal Concert Summer has presented concerts of Baroque music on original instruments, also incorporating the Baroque organ. In this way, alongside its pilgrimage history, Brunnenthal offers a clear musical focus. For your specific travel plans, check the programme currently in effect if you would like to combine your stay with a concert.

There is also a regional culinary emphasis: ERNI KOCHT in Brunnenthal serves fresh, seasonal and regionally changing specialities from Erni’s kitchen every week. This suits a holiday in which every day does not have to follow the same routine. After a hike, regional cuisine can form a separate item on the programme, while on a culture-oriented day the pilgrimage sites and music can take centre stage.

Further Places for Planning Your Trip

If you would like to compare Brunnenthal with other destinations, you will find additional places here for orientation: Raab, Dorf An Der Pram, Vichtenstein, Sankt Florian Am Inn, Kopfing Im Innkreis, Suben, Taufkirchen an der Pram, Schardenberg.

For the higher-level travel overview: Schärding.