Stage 5: Wilhering Abbey – Linz

From Wilhering Abbey to the City of Peace, Linz

After spending the night, this deliberately shorter stage takes us from Wilhering Abbey to Linz, the capital of Upper Austria. This leaves plenty of time to explore the city and its special places along the Jerusalem Way. There are a few short climbs to tackle on this stage.

After the abbey we cross the main road and head uphill into the forest. Shortly afterwards we turn left by the houses. The Jerusalem Way markings lead us into the forest. Not far from the Danube, we continue hiking along the Prinzensteig.

Through the Kürnberg Forest and the Zaubertal

A beautiful, well-marked path through the Kürnberg Forest takes us up to the so-called 13er Tower. From there, we get our first view of the Pöstlingberg Church , one of Linz’s landmarks.

We then reach the charming Zaubertal and pass the Freinberg. Once at the top, a lovely view opens up over Linz, the City of Peace and European Capital of Culture 2009.

St. Martin’s Church, Castle and Main Square

Via Mariahilfgasse and Römerstraße we reach St. Martin’s Church , one of Austria’s oldest churches. Shortly afterwards we reach Linz Castle, from where there is a wide view of the Danube and the Pöstlingberg.

Through the old town, the Jerusalem Way continues to the main square with the Trinity Column. Here we are in the heart of Upper Austria’s capital.

Linz – City of Peace, association headquarters and central junction

Linz is a special place on the Jerusalem Way: since 1986 the city has been a City of Peace, it was European Capital of Culture in 2009, and it is a partner city of the Jerusalem Way. At the same time, this is the headquarters of the non-profit association JERUSALEM WAY International Peace Team.

In Linz, several lines of the Jerusalem Way become visible: the main route coming from Spain leads via Wilhering Abbey to Linz, while the three German feeder routes via Passau and Wilhering join the shared route heading east. This makes Linz a central junction on the Jerusalem Way.

A visible sign of this is the JERUSALEM WAY Peace Dove at the New Town Hall. It was installed on September 23, 2023 as part of an interfaith ceremony and points towards Jerusalem.

Open: Installation of the JERUSALEM WAY Peace Dove in Linz

At the Town Hall or at the Tourist Information on the main square, there is also a beautiful JERUSALEM WAY pilgrim stamp with peace dove.

Mariendom – destination of the stage

The route then takes us through the pedestrian zone to the Mariendom, the destination of this stage. The cathedral is dedicated to Mary, Queen of Peace, and is one of Austria’s largest churches.

An additional rest day in Linz is recommended to take time to discover the city’s many sights, cultural offerings and spiritual places.

Open: Sights in Linz

Pilgrim accommodation

In Linz there are numerous accommodation options in different price categories. As offers and availability can change, we recommend enquiring in good time.

A possible search aid for simple and more affordable accommodation: Affordable overnight stays in Linz

Navigation and GPS

The Jerusalem Way route Passau – Linz is GPS-based. For navigation, please use the current Jerusalem Way app or the provided online route, and if possible download the map for offline use before starting the stage.

OPEN GPS ROUTE WILHERING ABBEY – LINZ

OPEN GPS & POI JERUSALEM WAY AUSTRIA

Places along the stage:
Wilhering Abbey – Prinzensteig – Kürnberg Forest – Zaubertal – Freinberg – St. Martin’s Church – Linz Castle – Main Square – Mariendom