ruin of Scharnstein in the Almtal valley

Scharnstein, Oberösterreich, Österreich

pets allowed
Suitable for groups

A walk into a nearly forgotten history

A ruin tells its story:

What you, dear hiker (visitor), can still see of me today is a meager remnant of my former, proud splendor. The remains of my walls were used as a quarry and houses were built from them in the valley below.

Yes, it was just bad that I burned down completely in January 1538. I have never really recovered since then. Only during the Peasant Wars around 1626 and then later when the Turks threatened our country, I think that was around 1683, when I regained hope. But unfortunately, the peasants did not occupy me, but the new castle on Schäferleithen, and so they only had all kinds of war equipment stored with me just in case. Well, at least there were three heavy bakeries, including cannons, and 17 pieces of artillery, 10 muskets, 14 halberds, and even 500 stone balls. For the commandant there was even a gilded sword in my armory and 55 balaclavas.

Audioguide Story form the castle Scharnstein about the project

"Xplore Energy Traunsteinregion" - erlebniswege.klima.energie

Availaible via XIBIT App

Opening hours

Accessible free of charge at any time.

Arrival

Accessibility / arrival

We recommend travelling by public transport!

by train:
from Wels station take the Almtalbahn (line 153) in the direction of Grünau im Almtal to the Scharnstein-Mühldorf stop;
numerous connections from Wels station to the main trains on the Westbahn line (line 101)

From there, follow the signs on foot up the footbridge to the ruins.

by bus:

OÖVV bus line 533 Gmunden - Scharntein - Grünau - Almsee; get off at Scharnstein Kirchenplatz. From there walk down to the Alm, over the footbridge up to the ruins following the signs.

OÖVV bus route 480 Kirchdorf/Kr. (- Schlierbach) - Pettenbach - Scharnstein - Viechtwang; bus stop Scharnstein B120/Almbrücke. From there walk up to the ruins following the signs.

with the Salzkammergut Shuttle Service Route 52 from Laakirchen to the Scharnstein-Mühldorf station, or from Vorchdorf with the Salzkammergut Shuttle Service Route 70 to the Scharnstein Almbrücke stop, please call the taxi centre at least 1 hour in advance on 050-422 422 and order.

Bike & Hike, travelling by bike:
Coming from Wels or Linz on the R 4 Traunradweg or R6 Römerradweg, or from Gmunden R 4 Traunradweg or from Passau via Vöcklabruck and Schwanenstadt on the R 6 Römerradweg to Lambach, via the Traunkraftwerk Lambach and to Bad Wimsbach-Neydharting in the direction of Vorchdorf Einsiedling. Continue via the short cycle connection on the R 13 Traunviertlerradweg to the R 11 Almtalradweg via Pettenbach to Viechtwang/Scharnstein. Also the cycle connection on the Traunviertel tour from Gmunden via St. Konrad and Scharnstein to Viechtwang.

by car:

Motorway A1: Vienna - Voralpenkreuz-A9 -
Motorway A8 Passau - Wels - Voralpenkreuz A9 - exit Ried/Traunkreis - Voitsdorf - Pettenbach - Scharnstein
Motorway A1: Munich - Salzburg - Regau - B145 to Gmunden - B 120 to Scharnstein - turn left after the Almbrücke bridge to the car park at the Geyerhammer Museum.

From there please continue on foot!

Please only use the designated car parks and show consideration for private property! Thank you for your fairness!

Parking fees

From the parking lot after Haus Tießenbach 43 there is now a driving ban, with the exception of cyclists! Please use the signposted parking spaces at Museum Geyerhammer!