The best cycling routes around Pöchlarn

The first historical mention of Persenbeug Castle dates back to 970 AD. The Bavarian Sieghart, Count of Semt and Ebersberg, took possession of "Persinpiugun" and fortified it. Over the centuries, the castle changed hands many times. Until 1593, it was also intermittently in the possession of the regional princes. It was then sold to the Hoyos family, who expanded the castle to its present form. On December 3, 1800, Emperor Franz I of Austria purchased Persenbeug Castle and its dominion as free private property. Around the same time, the dominion of Gutenbrunn also came into the possession of Franz I, and was incorporated into his private fund. Through several inheritances, the dominions of Persenbeug and Gutenbrunn came into the possession of Emperor Franz Joseph I, who passed them on to his daughter Marie Valerie in 1916. Some of her descendants form the currently existing family co-ownership community.

Sights Schloss Greinburg: The castle has perched above the Danube for over 500 years and is the oldest residential castle in Austria. Stadttheater Grein: It was built in 1791 and is the oldest city theatre in the country. Historic town square: The square has beautiful old burgher houses and cozy cafés. Gobelwarte: A viewing tower on a mountain. It offers a wide view of the Danube and the surrounding area.

Grein an der Donau is a historic town in the Strudengau region of Upper Austria with approximately 2,900 inhabitants. The picturesque Grein an der Donau is located directly on the river and on the edge of the Mühlviertel.

The culturally interested traveler will not encounter it unexpectedly, the Benedictine Abbey, mostly known by the name STIFT MELK – and under the patronage of the two apostle princes – whose official designation is „Abbatia SS. App. Petri et Pauli apud Melk“. It is not only significant in a religious respect, but even an essential part of the cultural landscape of Wachau, ennobled by UNESCO with the special predicate „World Heritage“. A documentation within the framework of the television series »Schätze der Welt – Erbe der Menschheit« reports: „A landmark of the Wachau and actually the staging of this landscape is the Stift Melk. The core of the Melk monastery complex is the library, with 85,000 volumes and 1200 manuscripts, one of the largest in the world. It is the ideological headquarters of Benedictinism. Here everything is stored that can be described as the foundation of the Western spirit.“ The fifteen-minute contribution about this highlight, awarded by UNESCO with the predicate „World Heritage“, is available in the ARD media library via the following link =>> https://www.ardmediathek.de/video/schaetze-der-welt/die-wachau-oesterreich-folge-282/swr/Y3JpZDovL3N3ci5kZS82ODcyNjk0

From Melk to Emmersdorf, from there continue to Maria Laach via Obernorf to the transmitter and viewing platform then descent to Gut am Steg and return via Spitz to Melk approx. 60km and 950Hm

The panoramic view from Maria Taferl over the Danube valley is fantastic. From the terrace of the well-known pilgrimage basilica Maria Taferl, the view extends far across the Danube valley to the Alps. The distinctive Ötscher stands out particularly.

Perfect cycle paths on both sides, landscape very beautiful. Only disadvantage, the wind attacks fully. Without an e-bike, one should consider the wind direction and strength when planning.

Maria Taferl, after Mariazell, is the most important pilgrimage site in Lower Austria and a baroque work of art. The church is a "Who-is-Who" of Austrian Baroque architecture. Standing in front of it, you are looking at the work of the absolute elite of this time. Construction began in 1660 under Daniel Gran, but it was completed by none other than Jakob Prandtauer (the creator of Stift Melk) and Joseph Munggenast. The striking twin towers and the bright facade are placed in such a way that they look like a crown over the Danube valley.