The best traffic-free bike rides around Haidershofen

Steyr is one of the most beautiful cities in Austria

This house of worship is one of the few churches known to me that is dedicated to Saint Nicholas of Flüe (after the village of Flüeli in the Swiss canton of Obwalden); one more often encounters chapels with his name. However, the patron is far better known by the simple name he himself used, "Brother Klaus". He lived from 1417 to 1487 and is revered as a hermit, mystic, and peacemaker. Brother Klaus's feast day in the calendar of saints is March 21 (the day of his death). He is the national saint of Switzerland.

The old town of Steyr is one of the most beautiful in Austria.

A magnificent view of St. Michael's Church

Steyr's Old Town is one of Austria's most atmospheric historic city centers. Situated at the confluence of the Enns and Steyr rivers, it combines a medieval urban structure with well-preserved Gothic, Renaissance, and Baroque buildings. Around the town square with its magnificent burgher houses—including the famous Bummerlhaus—narrow lanes, courtyards, and squares unfold, reflecting the former prosperity of this iron-producing city. High above, Lamberg Castle sits atop the walls of the ancient Styraburg, the city's origin. A visit to the Old Town leads past characteristic facades, across bridges to the riverbanks, and to viewpoints offering particularly evocative vistas of the historic ensemble. Overall, Steyr's Old Town presents a harmonious blend of history, architecture, and picturesque urban ambiance.

The Memorial Tunnel in Steyr is a memorial site commemorating the Nazi era and, in particular, the forced labor at the former Steyr-Münichholz subcamp of the Dachau concentration camp. The exhibition is located in an approximately 140-meter-long air-raid shelter tunnel beneath Lamberg Castle, which was driven into the rock by concentration camp prisoners in 1943. In this original, preserved tunnel, the exhibition guides visitors through the years 1938 to 1945, using documents, photographs, and personal accounts to illustrate the profound impact of the armaments industry, forced labor, and persecution on life in Steyr. The deliberately simple and somber design evokes the confinement and atmosphere of the place, making the tunnel a central learning and memorial site used by many visitors and school groups to gain a deeper understanding of the local history of the Nazi period.

From the cycle path along the Enns River, there is a beautiful view of Steyr's old town and Lamberg Castle perched above it. Along the river, you can see the closely packed historic buildings, which rise in tiers from the riverbank, marking the transition from the river area to the old town. The castle sits on a raised position above the town and is clearly recognizable as the dominant structure from this perspective. Overall, Steyr is a worthwhile destination for a bike tour or a detour from the main route.

Steyr's historic center is one of the most impressive old towns in the country. Richly decorated townhouses from the Gothic, Renaissance, Baroque, and Rococo periods cluster around the expansive town square, reflecting the former prosperity of this trading and iron-producing city. The Bummerlhaus, one of Austria's best-preserved Gothic residential buildings, stands out in particular, its striking facade immediately catching the eye. Lamberg Castle, built on the walls of the original Styraburg castle, rises above the old town and marks Steyr's historical origins. A tour through the old town reveals an unusually dense succession of architectural eras within a compact area and clearly demonstrates how strongly history, craftsmanship, and the natural landscape intertwine here.