Molln offers a range of cultural and natural points of interest to consider when planning a trip. Jew’s harp making is recognised as intangible cultural heritage; along the Rinnende Mauer gorge trail, the Steyr River and its conglomerate walls take centre stage. The Poacher Museum Molln and the Frauenstein pilgrimage church offer additional perspectives. Depending on your interests, you can focus on craftsmanship and history, ecclesiastical art or the geological formations of the Steyr Gorge.
Jew’s Harp and Local History
In 2014, the Austrian Commission for UNESCO recognised the making of Molln jew’s harps as intangible cultural heritage. This puts the craft tradition itself in the spotlight, rather than just a single object. The Poacher Museum Molln brings jew’s harp making together with exhibitions on woodworking and ironworking. It also covers the history of poaching from the Middle Ages to the present day, as well as the events of the Molln poacher drama. Craftsmanship and the history of poaching offer distinct perspectives: one brings together several craft-related subjects, while the other spans a long period of history. The dates refer to different things: 2014 is the year jew’s harp making was recognised, while the period from the Middle Ages to the present day relates to the history of poaching covered by the museum. The museum thus brings together more than one craft tradition and places them alongside a separate historical theme.
The Steyr Gorge: Water and Conglomerate
The Rinnende Mauer gorge trail runs through the Steyr Gorge nature reserve along the Steyr River, close to the water and often beneath overhanging conglomerate walls. At the Rinnende Mauer, a seepage spring creates a fine curtain of water extending for about 50 metres. The approximate length refers to this curtain: the water feature stretches over a distance rather than appearing at just one point where the spring emerges. The spring is the source; the curtain is the form in which the water can be seen flowing over the wall. The conglomerate walls on the steep slope above the Steyr are a striking geomorphological feature of the Alpine region. This natural attraction thus combines a distinctive water feature with the geological formations of the rock walls. Looking at the Steyr Gorge through its defining features offers two different perspectives: the delicate veil of water from the seepage spring and the striking shape of the conglomerate.
Frauenstein: Church and Cultural Treasure
The Frauenstein pilgrimage church stands on a 502-metre-high hill on the far side of the Steyr Gorge. It houses one of Upper Austria’s most significant cultural treasures, which dates back to Maximilian I, and is particularly known for a Madonna of Mercy attributed to Gregor Erhart. Admission to the church is free during opening hours; voluntary donations are welcome. Check the opening hours in advance if you plan to visit the church. Its location on the far side of the gorge and its artistic and cultural significance give Frauenstein a distinct focus, setting it apart from the river and geology of the Rinnende Mauer.
This comparison is useful when planning your trip: the museum combines craftsmanship with the history of poaching, Frauenstein offers a focus on ecclesiastical and art history, and the Rinnende Mauer is all about water and geology. You can decide which perspective you would like to shape your stay in Molln.
Discover more destinations: Micheldorf in Upper Austria, St. Pankraz, Pettenbach, Schweizersberg, Rossleithen, Etzelsdorf, Nußbach, Ried im Traunkreis.
See the broader travel overview: Kirchdorf an der Krems.
