In Sankt Magdalena, nature and culture meet along specific routes: the Horse-Drawn Railway Promenade follows a historic railway line and passes through mixed woodland. Two named routes offer further points of orientation around the church and the linden tree. When choosing a route, you can consider whether you want to focus mainly on the history of the horse-drawn railway, the forest, or distinctive architectural and natural features.
Horse-Drawn Railway Promenade and Nature Trail
The Horse-Drawn Railway Promenade follows the historic route of the Linz–Budweis horse-drawn railway, which opened in 1832. At the same time, it passes through natural mixed woodland: old trees, deadwood and diverse structures provide habitats for numerous animal species. The railway’s history and the forest with its habitats are therefore among the defining features of the same route.
The St. Magdalena Nature Trail also runs along the promenade. Its information boards were redesigned in 2025 and offer practical tips on how to support nature in your own garden. The boards thus complement the forest experience with ideas that extend beyond the excursion. If you are interested in nature and how to support it, you will find guidance for your own garden here, as well as a route through mixed woodland.
St. Magdalena Church: Building history in several phases
St. Magdalena Church was built as a chapel around 1110. The central nave, with its net vault, is the only part of the late Gothic church that survives today. In this type of vault, the ribs form a net-like pattern—an architectural detail that draws attention to the surviving late Gothic fabric.
A further change followed in 1768, when the church tower was remodelled into a Baroque façade tower with an onion dome. The church therefore shows several distinct building phases: the early chapel, the surviving late Gothic central nave and the Baroque remodelling of the tower. For anyone interested in architecture, the church combines a long history with clearly identifiable architectural features.
Two routes, different points of orientation
The “Idyll Along the Horse-Drawn Railway” route begins at St. Magdalena Church and then follows the Horse-Drawn Railway Promenade. The route information lists Linz AG tram lines 1 and 2 via the Harbachsiedlung stop as a public transport connection. Check the timetable before travelling so you can factor the stated connection into your plans.
“Along Old Paths – A City Walk from Linz to Oberbairing” has a different focus: this walk begins in the Sankt Magdalena district and passes the parish church and the thousand-year-old linden tree. The church therefore features in both route descriptions, but in a different role: on the “Idyll Along the Horse-Drawn Railway” route, it marks the starting point; on “Along Old Paths,” it is a waypoint alongside the linden tree. This distinction helps you tell the two routes apart and choose the one that best suits your interests.
Discover more destinations
Discover more destinations: Puchenau, Mursberg, VorderweiĂźenbach, Sonnberg Im MĂĽhlkreis, Ottensheim, Ottenschlag Im MĂĽhlkreis, Altenberg Bei Linz, Feldkirchen An Der Donau.
Back to the regional travel overview: Urfahr-Umgebung.
