Discover Roitham through Traunfall Waterfall, walking routes and historic buildings. The waterfall also represents a long history of salt transport. For planning, it is worth considering the different options: an easy family loop with bridges and a chapel, a five-kilometre themed trail, or the pilgrimage route from Roitham to Gmunden.

Traunfall Waterfall and walking routes

Traunfall is a waterfall on the River Traun in Upper Austria. It lies between Steyrermühl and Roitham am Traunfall, on the municipal boundary between Desselbrunn and Roitham am Traunfall.

The Traunfall circular walking trail is an easy loop suitable for the whole family. It crosses the Traunfall Bridge, leads to the wooden bridge and continues to St Nicholas Chapel before returning to the starting point. If you prefer clear landmarks on a walk, you can follow this sequence of bridges and chapel.

The 5 km “Arena of Human Rights” themed trail leads from historic Traunfall through the Natura 2000 European protected area and Oberbuch to Roitham am Traunfall, then returns to the starting point. The Arena is therefore the 5 km loop, while the Traunfall circular walking trail is distinguished by its easy, family-friendly route with bridges and a chapel.

Another type of route is “Water Pilgrimage”, which leads from Roitham am Traunfall to Gmunden. Leaflets, stamps and a blessing ribbon are available at St James’s Church in Roitham. The pilgrimage route thus complements the two circular trails with a route whose destination is Gmunden.

Local history and culture

For more than 600 years, Traunfall played a key role in transporting salt between the Inner Salzkammergut and the Danube. Its significance therefore extends beyond its natural features and places Traunfall within the region’s transport history.

Roitham’s Roman Catholic parish church was built in 1350 in the late Gothic style and is dedicated to the Apostle James the Elder. The altarpiece was created by painter Karl Strasser in 1870. The building date, dedication and altarpiece offer three different points of interest: late Gothic architecture, religious significance and a 19th-century work of art.

Au Castle on the Traun is a listed building. On 30 May 1653, Pacidus Hieber von Greifenfels, abbot of Lambach Abbey, purchased the old noble estate of Au on the Traun. The Floßmeister Chapel at Traunfall and the St Nicholas Chapel at Traunfall are also listed buildings. Thus, the protected buildings range from a castle to two chapels. The timeline runs from the construction of the church in 1350, through the purchase of Au Castle in 1653, to the altarpiece of 1870. This gives history enthusiasts an overview of three periods and three distinct themes in cultural history: architecture, ownership history and church art.

Discover more destinations: Hallstatt, Grünau im Almtal, Altmünster am Traunsee, Traunkirchen, Bad Goisern am Hallstättersee, Kogl, Ebensee, Gmunden.

Back to the regional travel overview: Gmunden.