Lilienfeld

Lilienfeld - hiking and culture in Austria's most densely wooded region.

The district of Lilienfeld is known as the "green lung" of Lower Austria - three quarters of the region is covered in forest. Well-maintained hiking trails offer something for everyone - from riverside promenades, forest paths and alpine meadows to alpine climbs. The magnificent alpine region around the 1,248 m high Muckenkogel is accessible by chair lift, while mountain huts and alpine lodges invite you to take a leisurely break. The view from the Muckenkogel and the 1,313 m high Hinteralpe extends far and wide - to the north across the Danube valley, to the south far into the Alps. In winter, the region is a popular destination for ski tourers (Muckenkogel) and alpine skiers (Göller lifts).

The Cistercian monastery of Lilienfeld, the largest medieval monastery in Austria, was founded in 1202 by the Babenberg Duke Leopold VI, the Glorious. The monastery offers many architectural treasures: the cloister built around 1230 rests on 478 marble columns, the magnificent baroque library created around 1730 contains around 40,000 prints. The large organ with 3,288 sounding pipes is a first-class instrument for internationally important musical events.

The district museum in the Gothic gate tower impressively displays the history of the region - mining, industry, the work of artists and a historic weaving room. However, the Zdarsky Ski Museum is the most important part of the exhibition. Mathias Zdarsky (1856-1940) developed the "Alpine" (Lilienfeld) skiing technique from 1890-1896 from the millennia-old Nordic skiing technique. The region is also home to a wide variety of game specialties.

• Excursion tips: Lilienfeld Cistercian Abbey, Zdarsky Ski Museum
• Tour tips: Traisental cycle route (cycling), Muckenkogel (hiking)