During a stay in Ertl, you can focus on local history, views or outdoor activities. The parish church and the remains of a hilltop castle site represent two different historical themes; the Voralpenblick viewing tower and the hiking trails lead to named landscape and nature destinations. There is also a cycling route with its own sequence of places. When planning your excursions, both the activity and the individual destinations are therefore important.
Parish church and building history
Ertl Parish Church stands in the town centre at the confluence of Kohlenbach and Urlbach. It is a comparatively large Neo-Gothic church. Construction began in 1901 to plans by architect Franz Pichlwanger and was completed in 1913. On 26 May 1914, the church was dedicated to the Holy Family. The start of construction, completion and dedication mark different stages: construction ran from 1901 to 1913, and the dedication followed the next year. This makes it possible to date the history of the church building precisely.
Historical traces on Hausnerkogel
Remains of a hilltop castle site can be found near the summit of Hausnerkogel. The terrain was artificially reshaped to create it. The altered terrain is therefore just as much a part of this historical theme as the remains of the site. The two points of interest differ in both form and location: one is a Neo-Gothic church in the town centre with a dated construction and dedication history; the other is the remains of a site near the summit, in artificially altered terrain. Visitors interested in architecture and historical traces in the landscape will find two distinct perspectives here.
Hiking and cycling
The Voralpenblick viewing tower offers wide-ranging views across the hilly Mostviertel landscape to the Alpine foothills. The 11.5 km Voralpenblick hiking trail leads to the tower, continues to St. Michael/Bruckbach and returns to Ertl along the Urlbach. The Url-Ursprung hiking trail passes the Hubertus Chapel and reaches the source of the Url. The trails can be distinguished by their named points: the Voralpenblick trail leads to the viewing tower and St. Michael/Bruckbach, while the Url-Ursprung trail passes the Hubertus Chapel and leads to the source of the Url.
For cyclists, the Stiftsblick cycling route runs via Monument, Ertl and Bruckbach to St. Michael. Its direction differs from that of the Voralpenblick hiking trail, which returns to Ertl along the Urlbach. This comparison can help you choose a route based on the journey you want to take. The “Around WY” route description lists Ertl as a directional point; it also lists other turn-offs.
Getting there
One option is to take a Westbahn train to Seitenstetten–St. Peter/Au and then continue to Ertl by bus. Check the current timetables before travelling to make sure the connection suits your travel date.
Discover more destinations: Neuhofen An Der Ybbs, Ardagger Markt, Behamberg, Sankt Valentin, Wallsee, Pfaffenberg, Ybbsitz, Haag
Return to the overview of the wider region: Amstetten.
