Schlierbach: Abbey, Cheese and Trails in the Kremstal Valley

Schlierbach lies on the edge of the Pre-Alps in the Kremstal Valley. The townscape is shaped by the Cistercian abbey of the same name – and it is precisely here that Baroque art, glass design, cheese culture and special educational programmes come together. Those who want to combine a trip with cultural discoveries, regional delights and selected trails will find many different starting points for planning their day in Schlierbach.

Baroque Rooms and Gothic Art in the Abbey

The abbey church was built from 1680 to 1682. Frescoes and lavish stucco decoration make it a Baroque Gesamtkunstwerk by the Italian artist family Carlone, together with other local and foreign artists. The Schlierbach Madonna adds a special historical accent: the wooden Gothic statue of the Virgin Mary dates from around 1320 and is located in the Baroque cloister.

The library is also one of the abbey’s impressive rooms. Carlo Antonio Carlone built it in 1712 as a cross-shaped Baroque ceremonial room with hanging domes. A guided tour of Schlierbach Abbey can combine the Bernard Hall, the library, the abbey church, the cloister with the Schlierbach Madonna and the Margret Bilger Gallery. The programme also includes a glass art viewing. Guided tours can be booked year-round by prior arrangement.

Cheese, Glass and Views over the Kremstal Valley

Schlierbach is shaped not only by its architecture, but also by a long cheese-making tradition. The Schlierbach cheese dairy was founded by Brother Leonhard on St James’s Day in 1924. Its first product was Schlierbacher Schlosskäse, a delicately savoury soft cheese with a red culture rind, which is still one of the organic cheese dairy’s most important products today.

For an enjoyable break, Panorama Café & Lounge offers breakfast with views over the Kremstal Valley. A visit can end with a tasting of Schlierbach organic cheese specialities at the Panorama Café, renovated in 2025. The Schlierbach Abbey Glass Art workshop has another special focus. The modern manufactory preserves traditional techniques such as leaded glass, restores precious old stained-glass windows and also works with the fusing technique.

Trails for Cultural and Active Travel Days

Those who would like to complement their visit to the town with a longer trail can include the Benedikt Kremstal Pilgrimage Circuit in their plans. In Schlierbach, it branches off from the Upper Austrian Benedikt Pilgrimage Trail, is 45 kilometres long and runs in three daily stages through the Upper Austrian Kremstal Valley. For a different route plan, stage N11 of the Upper Austrian Benedikt Pilgrimage Trail begins at the Cistercian abbey in Schlierbach and ends at the Benedictine abbey in Kremsmünster.

This offers different ways to travel: you can consider Schlierbach as the starting point for a multi-day pilgrimage route, plan a single stage or focus on the abbey rooms, glass and regional specialities. Since 1974, the Schlierbach Abbey Education Centre has complemented this selection with a varied programme of courses on creativity, religion and health. These include acrylic painting and sewing twine buttons, among other activities.

The Right Accommodation for Your Travel Plans

If your days are to focus primarily on the abbey, a guided tour and the region’s special features, you can specifically search for a holiday apartment or holiday house in Schlierbach. For a trip with longer trail sections, it is advisable to take the planned sequence of stages into account when choosing your holiday destination.

For further travel planning, you can also visit the pages on Steinbach Am Ziehberg, Rossleithen, Vorderstoder, Pettenbach, Oberschlierbach, Wartberg an der Krems, St. Pankraz and Steinbach An Der Steyr.

To the higher-level travel overview: Kirchdorf An Der Krems.