Windhaag bei Freistadt reveals itself through very different traces: medieval church architecture, early industry and art at the watershed. This makes the place interesting for anyone who wants to plan their stay around specific themes—such as surviving architectural features, an unusual industrial history or a sculpture trail.
Church Architecture and Biography
The parish church of Windhaag bei Freistadt was built around 1300 as a Romanesque church. In 1487, the Starhembergs, owners of the Reichenau estate, had a new Gothic church built and the cemetery laid out. The tower, the walls of the presbytery and the area of the nave up to the penultimate bay survive from this Gothic church. The presbytery and nave are different parts of a church building; the term “bay” refers to a section of the nave. This means that the building’s history can be traced through several distinct parts.
Another historical connection leads to Anton Bruckner: he was an assistant teacher in Windhaag bei Freistadt for two years, from 1841 to 1843. Alongside the church’s history, this provides a specific biographical connection to the place and offers another perspective on its past.
The History of Technology and the Green Belt
The Hofwieshammer represents Windhaag’s industrial history. It specialized in draw saws and straw knives; its products were traded throughout the monarchy and reached as far as Siberia. Its closure in 1938 and rescue in 1984 mark two important turning points. The hammer mill was preserved as an important record of early industrial economic and technological history. The town’s history thus extends from ecclesiastical architecture to a workshop whose products were traded far beyond the region.
The Green Belt Center offers a total of 1,000 square metres for exhibitions and information about the nature, history and future of the Green Belt. This complements the history of church architecture and technology with a look at the Green Belt as a natural and historical landscape. As exhibitions may change, it is best to check what is currently on display before your visit.
Rock Formations, the Watershed and Art
The Jankaskirche rock formation is a rock on the southern slope of Waschenberg in the municipality of Windhaag bei Freistadt. At its summit are three depressions known as offering bowls. The rock formation is in the village of Predetschlag along hiking trail W1. With the help of climbing aids, you can climb the rock; take care as you do so.
Wettershuttle is a large-scale art installation on the Central European watershed between the Danube (Austria) and the Vltava (Czechia). It lies between the villages of Pieberschlag and PaĂźberg, on the small road between PaĂźberg and Windhaag bei Freistadt. These location details make the watershed and the two villages the specific reference points for the installation.
The Watershed Sculpture Trail features 19 works of art by Windhaag sculptor Gerhard Eilmsteiner. Near the well-known Wettershuttle, it forms the starting point and first section of a “walkable gallery along the European Green Belt.” The trail is suitable for pushchairs and makes for a leisurely walk. It offers a different way to explore the area than the Jankaskirche rock formation: here, you follow a trail of art, while there, the focus is on a single distinctive rock with its three offering bowls.
When choosing what to see, then, consider whether you are more interested in church architecture, the history of technology, the Green Belt, a rock formation or art along a trail. The sculpture trail links works of art into a circular route; the Jankaskirche rock formation is a striking individual site on hiking trail W1. Together, these different highlights offer several ways to explore Windhaag bei Freistadt in keeping with your interests.
Discover more destinations: Schönau im Mühlkreis, Sandl, Unterweißenbach, Wartberg ob der Aist, Gutau, Sankt Oswald bei Freistadt, Neumarkt im Mühlkreis, Bad Zell.
Go to the main travel overview: Freistadt.
