Austria is not a natural home for elephants, leaving aside prehistoric ages. Nevertheless, you often find their depictions on old facades. For example, this inn in Scheibbs has been known as “Zum Schwarzen Elefanten” (Black Elephant Inn) since 1541.
Tag: Mostviertel
Rothschild Castle in Waidhofen/Ybbs
After staying a night at the former Zell Manor, I came across this castle on my morning walk. It is generally known as Rothschild Castle (Rothschildschloss) since it was rebuilt in Neo-Gothic style by Albert Salomon Anselm von Rothschild.
Hundefräulein at Schallaburg Castle
If you look at the sculptures decorating the courtyard of Schallaburg Castle (Schloss Schallaburg), you may discover the “Hundefräulein” (Dog Lady). This is the bust of a lady whose head looks like the head of a dog.
Sundial at Seitenstetten Abbey
You find this sundial on a chimney of Seitenstetten Abbey (Stift Seitenstetten). This abbey is a large Benedictine monastery in the Austrian region of Mostviertel. The inscription “Ora et Labora” refers to the motto of the Benedictines. It translates into “Pray and Work”. [German]
‘Roman bridge’ in Scheibbs
This stone bridge in Scheibbs was built in 1554 by Valentin Staudinger. The bridge using a rock in the middle of the river is considered the oldest still existing one crossing the Erlauf River.
Museum of historical target boards in Scheibbs
The museum of historical targets displays a collection of target boards (Schützenscheiben) dating from 1670 up to 1941 used by the local rifle club (Schützenverein). In general, these boards display scenes of daily life, local events and even important persons of history.
Zell Manor in Waidhofen/Ybbs
The former Zell Manor (Schloss Zell) houses a hotel today: “Das Schloss an der Eisenstrasse“. The hotel name refers to the region’s history, where many ironworking plants settled along the main road.
Hiking along the Mendlingtal
The trail along the Mendlingtal is a path of about 3 kilometres. It leads from a theme park about logging up to a former Hammerherrenhaus (Home of the owner of a hammer mill). The scenery is changing several times. Sometimes one walk along a tame creek, sometimes one walk along footbridges high over a stream in full spate.
Log driving at Mendlingtal
At the theme park Mendlingtal, log drivers can be watched at work. In the photo above, some workers are trying to put the logs through the last weir before they arrive at the timber mill.
Timber mill in Mendlingtal
Everybody knows the scenery of the American Old West. Can we see anything similar in Austria, too? Sure! This photo depicts a theme park in Mendlingtal. The park is all about logging in earlier times. The building in the background houses a Venetian saw dating back to 1907.
Schmiedegesellenhaus at Mendlingtal
At the theme park Mendlingtal the former building for the young blacksmiths (Schmiedegesellen) serves as museum now. Inside one can learn about the life of the blacksmiths, woodcutters and the owners of the hammer mills named Hammerherren.
Gipfelklänge 2013 in Mostviertel
The festival ‘Gipfelklänge’ in Mostviertel offered two days of hiking through the landscape of nature park Eisenwurzen while listening to music at some places along the hiking tour. At the picture above one can see the group ‘Saxofour’