It´s kind of strange that this saying “Everything starts in Linz!” is supposed to come from THE viennese figure Helmut Qualtinger but it was more or less the only explanation I just found. Nevertheless everything starts in Linz I´ve never been there until two days ago. Almost all of my friends I met at university came from Linz, or the surrounding areas and finally some of them arranged a little day trip to show me around Linz!
This time everything startet at Hütteldorf train station, where I found this sign while waiting for the Westbahn train. Didn´t know Hütteldorf , which is part of the 14th disrict of Vienna, lies at 214 m sea level.
Since last year it only takes 1 hour and 19 minutes from Hütteldorf to Linz – absolutely awesome! I remember the one hour trainride to St. Pölten and now it´s only 20 minutes!
Linz is the third largest city of Austria, the capital of Upper-Austria (Oberösterreich) and is located on both sides of the Danube. It was founded by the Romans who called this fortress Lentia. Today Linz is driven by a very active music and arts scene.
To see the city from above we took the Pöstlingberg-Bahn, rode to the pilgrimage church on top of the mountain and enjoyed the view even it was a kind of misty day.
Next stop and my personal highlight of this day: The Grottenbahn! (“Grotto Railway”) It´s a little world of fairytales located in fortifications built by Maximilian d’Este. Riding on the “dragon express”, a mini-train in the shape of the mythological beast one travels through a gloomy landscape of fairy tale scenes.
But there is more! After the trainraide you walk on a model of the Linz “Hauptplatz” at the turn of the century, situated in the cellar of the citadel’s tower. In the sides way one finds kind of strange deciptions of famous fairytales…
Visiting the Grottenbahn really shouldn´t be missed, it´s such a strange and still funny experience which transports you into another area. Probably not the one intented to but more of a kind of early 70ies. Hard to explain!
Back to the city and to the backery Brandl to buy some of their famous “Mohn Flesserl” (poppy seed bread rolls) and get some lunch!
