At its peak, up to 2,000 millstones were quarried in Perg’s stone quarries and sold throughout the monarchy and beyond. This tradition, which has been significant beyond the region since the Middle Ages, has left its mark on museums, historic buildings and trails where you can discover different sides of Perg and the district.
Experience millstones and history
The Heimathaus-Stadtmuseum Perg is dedicated to the history of Perg and its surroundings. Its main themes include the stone and millstone industry, finds from the Auhof burial ground dating from the 8th to 10th centuries, and finds from Mitterberg Castle. Since 2004, it has also housed the permanent exhibition “Kätes Puppenwelt” (Käte’s Doll World), featuring more than 400 exhibits.
At the Steinbrecherhaus Millstone Museum, the focus is on the work of the stonecutters and a historic building: built in 1802, the house preserves a living room, a chamber and a smoke kitchen, all of which can be visited. Images, stone objects and tools illustrate the work. The Scherer Millstone Quarry is an open-air museum run by the town museum on the grounds of a disused sandstone quarry in Perg. The origins of the sandstone offer a much longer perspective: the material formed from sand deposited on the shore of a sea in what is now the Machland plain, 30 to 40 million years ago during the Tertiary period.
Another collection explores the history of pharmacy. The Pharmacy Museum in Pragstein Castle presents the history of pharmacy in Austria and the practical work of pharmacists in the laboratory. Its foundation is the collection of the Aichberger family of pharmacists; the development of small rural pharmacies is a particular focus.
Churches, castles and archaeological discoveries
The former Baumgartenberg Abbey Church combines Romanesque, Gothic and Baroque elements. Construction began in 1142, and the church was given a Baroque makeover in the 17th century. Guided tours are available; check the current arrangements before your visit. Clam Castle also has a long history: it was first mentioned in a document in 1128, was owned by the Lords of Machland around 1149, and has been in the possession of the Counts of Clam-Martinic since 1454. The castle museum offers guided tours, including visits to the armoury, the Gothic chapel dating from 1491 and the porcelain collection.
At the Mitterkirchen Celtic Village, you can encounter another historical period. Opened in 1991 near the site of an earlier excavation of a Hallstatt-period burial ground, this open-air museum comprises 20 buildings. Supervised activities in pottery, flatbread baking, weaving, spinning, log-cabin building, metalworking and bow-making are aimed primarily at school groups. Since 2011, the “Prunkwagen und Hirsebrei” (Ceremonial Chariots and Millet Porridge) experimental archaeology days have been held there regularly, with experimental archaeologists living in the Celtic village. Check the event dates before your visit. A cycling tour from Perg to Grein also makes use of the Celtic village as a place to stop and take a trip into the past.
The Mauthausen Concentration Camp Memorial Site provides information about its exhibitions and memorials at former satellite camps in the Mauthausen concentration camp system. A free audio guide app for Android and iOS is available in twelve languages; it is advisable to check current availability before your visit.
Hills, the Danube and hiking trails
In the north of Perg district, the landscape ranges from rugged mountains and hills through mid-altitude areas with enclosed basins, such as the Klam Basin, to the Danube plains. This sequence is reflected in the different hiking trails described here: the Donausteig stage 4_G03 runs from Mauthausen through the cultivated Machland plain and across the panoramic Mühlviertel hill country to Perg, on the northern edge of the Machland. Stage 4_G04 starts at the “Perg” Donausteig trailhead in the northeastern part of the main square and ends at the “Mitterkirchen” trailhead at the northern end of the sports ground, near the eastern edge of the town.
Nature and cultural history meet in the Wolfsschlucht gorge. This narrow gorge carved into ancient rock lies at the foot of Kreuzen Castle and features waterfalls, rock formations, block fields, botanical and wildlife highlights, and near-natural gorge forests. Since 1997, it has been a nature and cultural history trail; information panels explain the bathing facilities of the former Bad Kreuzen cold-water spa. The “PERGER Natur-Erlebensräume” offer a different focus: a circular trail connects ecologically valuable habitats with vegetation suited to each location.
For a summer break, Perg Forest Pool offers river swimming and a sunbathing lawn. The facilities also include a beach volleyball court, an asphalt-stock sport lane and a Kneipp facility. If you are planning your trip by train, check the timetables: Perg is an important transport hub for the district; the railway, federal highway and bypass connect the town from west to east.
Discover more destinations: Dimbach, Perg, Katsdorf, Straß, Mauthausen, Henndorf, Grein An Der Donau, Luftenberg An Der Donau, Bad Kreuzen, Sankt Georgen An Der Gusen, Sankt Nikola An Der Donau, Saxen, Sankt Georgen Am Walde, Wansch, Windhaag Bei Perg, Münzbach, Rechberg, Ried In Der Riedmark, Baumgartenberg, Klam, Mitterkirchen Im Machland, Naarn Im Machlande, Pabneukirchen, Waldhausen Im Strudengau, Allerheiligen Im Mühlkreis, Arbing, Langenstein, Schwertberg and Sankt Thomas Am Blasenstein.
To the overview of the wider region: Upper Austria.
