Suben’s distinctive promontory on the Inn brings together river scenery and monastic history in one place. It is also home to the parish church, with visible foundations of its predecessor, historical landmarks and a variety of routes. During your stay, you can focus on cultural history, a seasonal activity in the bay, pilgrimage and hiking routes, or aviation.
Monastery and river scenery
Suben Abbey is located on a gravel terrace on the eastern bank of the Inn, on a naturally protected promontory formed by the deeply incised Subener Bach and the Inn. Its location is defined both by its position on the riverbank and by the two watercourses. The Suben Bay is a distinct landscape feature: it is an impoundment of the Inn. For orientation, these are two different aspects of the Inn landscape—the terrain around the monastery and the impoundment at the bay. If you are interested in the landscape, you can consider the monastery’s location and Suben Bay as separate points of reference to the Inn.
Church, monuments and local history
Suben Parish Church, a former abbey church, was rebuilt between 1766 and 1770 after the original Romanesque basilica was demolished. The foundations of the former basilica can be seen in the southern side aisle. The visible foundations and the period of reconstruction make it possible to trace the transition from the Romanesque predecessor to the later church. This provides insight into both the earlier church building and the 18th-century construction phase from a cultural and historical perspective.
The Marian column was restored in 2008 and moved to the grounds of the municipal offices. The French Cross, by contrast, commemorates a cemetery established in Suben in 1809 for many French soldiers and caregivers from the surrounding communities who had died. The dates mark two different aspects of local history: 2008 refers to the restoration and relocation of the Marian column, while 1809 marks the historical event commemorated by the French Cross.
The Bräu Chapel may date from the period when the monastery brewery was revived in 1757. This possible dating of the chapel is set alongside a clearly dated construction phase: the parish church was rebuilt between 1766 and 1770. The dates refer to different events and help distinguish the historical references.
Bay, routes and other interests
Suben Bay is suitable for Bavarian curling during the winter months. This seasonal activity is another reason to include the bay in your plans for your stay. The routes also differ: the Innviertel Way of St. James follows the Via Nova pilgrimage route as far as Suben. Another specific route marker is the Lindetwald Trail: after the Schärding-Suben border airfield, it branches off at a junction onto Hiking Trail No. 5. This gives you both a pilgrimage route to Suben and a named turning for a hike.
Schärding-Suben Airfield is a civilian sports airfield in the Innviertel region of Upper Austria. The flight school there offers various training courses and licenses. If you are interested, check the available options again before your trip. There are also several ways to include Suben as a stopover: the town is an inviting place to stop, whether you are travelling on the A8 motorway or along the “Lower Inn” cycle path. This makes it easy to include Suben in either a road trip or a cycling tour.
Discover more destinations: Brunnenthal, Wesenufer, Dorf An Der Pram, Mayrhof, Riedau, Eggerding, Esternberg, Sankt Aegidi
For the main travel overview: Schärding.
