A journey on the trail of stone treasures
"What do you spontaneously think of when you think of the Mühlviertel? What is typical of the region north of the Danube?", I ask some acquaintances and self-confessed Mühlviertel enthusiasts before I start my journey into the granite heights. "A good beer", "one hill after another", "beautiful nature with stunning views" and "the typical grey and white farmhouses" is what I hear.
All right, I know about the Mühlviertel's long beer tradition - and nobody can deny that the granite highlands are quite hilly and that you can catch great views over the unspoilt landscape. But what's the story behind these strangely spotted farms? I set off to get to the bottom of the mystery on a discovery tour through the Mühlviertel.
I quickly realise that the traditional Steinbloß building style still characterises the granite highlands today. The old Steinbloß facades of the farms nestle beautifully in the gentle Mühlviertel hills. But what is a real feast for the eyes for passing hikers like me is evidence of the hardship of days gone by.
Lime was rare and expensive - and so the gifts of nature had to be utilised with craftsmanship and ingenuity. "So the first settlers in the Mühlviertel turned to the wealth of their fields - after all, they had and still have enough stones!" a farmer tells me, who catches me taking photos of the Steinbloß farms and promptly starts a conversation with me. "Every time the fields are ploughed, the grey granite boulders appear."
They were painstakingly "picked" from the fields to build the typical Steinbloß courtyards and carefully piled up stone by stone - with the flat side facing outwards - to form double-walled walls and filled with sand and earth. To withstand wind and weather, the simple stone construction was grouted with clay and lime. However, years of weathering washed away the paint in many places, revealing the grey granite field stones between the white plaster surfaces. The stoa became bare!
What seems so simple keeps out the heat of summer days thanks to the heavy granite stones and, in return, stores the cosy warmth in the parlour for a long time in winter. The best Mühlviertel architecture, which still characterises the region today, was born out of necessity!
Forgotten, hidden and rediscovered!
On my journey of discovery through the hilly landscape of the Mühlviertel, I keep finding these old Steinbloß farms hidden away. The lush green of the meadows and forests complements the grey and white spotted facades perfectly. Between the vastness of the landscape, it almost seems to me as if the lovingly decorated houses here have been forgotten by time.
Fascinated by the almost romantic look of the courtyards, I ask why the traditional building style is rarely used nowadays. "You need a hole, you get a city gate!" - the answer probably says it all. Nowadays, most people shy away from the effort involved and the limited flexibility of the conversions. So I am all the more pleased when I learn that the witnesses to the old architecture are now well protected and lovingly renovated by many builders.
On the trail of the Steinbloß
3 top hiking routes for your exploration tour on the trail of stone treasures:
Steinbloß-Mauer-Weg in Hirschbach
A total of 24 of these magnificent grey and white specimens can be found along the 12.5 km Steinbloß-Mauer-Weg in Hirschbach im Mühlkreis. The circular route, which takes a good three hours and is easy to master even for inexperienced hikers with an altitude difference of only around 150 metres, is dedicated entirely to the diversity of stones. In addition to the typical Steinbloß farmsteads, the hiking trail also leads along places of devotion and places of power in nature designed with stones.
Just don't walk!
Those who prefer to explore the Mühlviertel on two wheels will not be disappointed with the Steinbloßrunde. The beautiful cycle route attracts visitors with numerous traditional Steinbloß farms!
Lasberg market forge
The old smithy, which was painstakingly built by hand in 1526 in the Steinbloß style and is one of the oldest houses in the village, provides an insight into the working world of a blacksmith and wagon maker. Until 1953, harrow teeth, door hinges, window grilles, plough irons and axes were made here and wheels were shod. The old market forge in Lasberg has been preserved and furnished in its original state and is truly a special and unique attraction.
Edlmühle - Farmhouse Furniture Museum
The former Edlmühle, which now houses the Hirschbach Farmhouse Furniture Museum, is a prime example of a Steinbloßhof farmhouse. The museum conveys the baroque, rural living culture of the 18th century. The colourful Hirschbach farmhouse furniture is an impressive testimony to life on a Mühlviertel farm.
Cider Museum Neumarkt
In the cider museum at the "Wirt z'Trosselsdorf" inn, you can see the historical equipment used to produce cider. Until 1981, buckets of cider were pressed in the Miesenberger family's barn-like press house. A horse even had to be led up the steps to the upper floor, where it patiently did its rounds and drove the mighty "Göppel", which in turn crushed the cider fruit and extracted the fresh juice.
Celebrate, eat and sleep in the Mühlviertler Steinbloßhaus
Unique festivals in a unique setting, traditional home cooking in the Kulturwirtshaus, beer tasting in the Tragweiner Gut, shopping for regional delicacies and then spending the night in the rustic Steinbloß farmhouse: special tips for lovers of Mühlviertel architecture!
The Austrian construction industry has also addressed the issue of stone blocks. On the Daibau.at platform, you can read the article on the topic of "Steinbloß" in the magazine.
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