Description
Starting from the pilgrimage basilica on the Sonntagberg, we begin today's stage eastwards through a pleasant wooded area to the Türkenbrunnen fountain. The Türkenbrunnen fountain commemorates the so-called "Horse Miracle" in 1529, when Turkish horsemen attempted to plunder the church on Sonntagberg. According to legend, the horses fell to their knees at the fountain - frightened by the holy place - and refused to move on. The Turks were thus forced to turn back. In 1677, a chapel was built next to the spring to commemorate this event. After the fountain, we hike over the Herzogenberg and then along the Panorama-Höhestraße to St. Leonhard am Wald, where we enjoy a break after a rather strenuous climb. Right at the entrance to the village there is a beautiful chapel dedicated to St. Hubertus, from where we have a wonderful view of the valley. A few meters later, in the village center, we come across another chapel and the "Fiakerkirche" of St. Leonhard. The Viennese hackney carriage drivers have been making a pilgrimage to this church every year since 1826, as St. Leonhard is the patron saint of horses, cattle and sheep, among other things. From St. Leonhard, the route descends for a long time, passing beautiful farms and walking through avenues of fruit trees on long bends down into the valley. In Schwarzbach we come to the Urlbach stream and can take a break here at an idyllic chapel on the banks of the stream before climbing back up towards Ybbsitz. On the way to Knieberg, we make a pilgrimage through lush meadows, past comfortably grazing cows to the last hill before our destination for today. From here, we have a fantastic panoramic view of the Prochenberg (1123m) and the Maisberg (942m), as well as the village of Ybbsitz in the valley, which is also the end point of our stage.
Starting point of the tour
Sonntagberg
Destination point of the tour
Ybbsitz
Route description OÖ Mariazellerweg: C: 4. Etappe: Sonntagberg - Ybbsitz
Sonntagberg, danach ostwärts am Panoramahöhenweg und Weitwanderweg 08 bis St. Leonhard am Wald, ab hier nach Süden am Schmidberg vorbei auf den Wanderweg 31, der uns über Tannhals, Leiten und Schwarzbach führt. Nach dem Weiler Mitterriegl treffen wir bei einer kleinen Kapelle auf den OÖ Mariazellerweg 06 nach Ybbsitz.
Directions
Von Salzburg kommend, die Ausfahrt in Richtung Oed (131) nehmen. Über Aschbach und Kematen an der Ybbs gelangt man nach Gleiß und biegt dort links in Richtung Sonntagberg ab.
Von Wien kommend fährt man in Amstetten-West (123) ab und kommt über die Weyerer Straße (B121) bis nach Kematen, in Gleiß biegt man links Richtung Sonntagberg ab.
Parking
Unterhalb der Wallfahrtsbasilika Sonntagberg gibt es einen großzügigen, kostenfreien Schotterparkplatz.
Über Amstetten gelangt man mit der Bahn nach Rosenau/Ybbs. Von dort erreicht man den Sonntagberg entweder zu Fuß oder mit dem Taxi.
