Steyr Old Town

Steyr grew rich on iron carried down from the mountains and spent the money on its main square, a long sloping space lined with painted gables. The Bummerlhaus at its head is late Gothic and still the finest house on the square; the rest run from Renaissance to baroque with arcaded courtyards hidden behind. The town stands where the Steyr meets the Enns, so there are river terraces and bridges within a few minutes of the centre, and a Gothic parish church up the slope. In December the pilgrimage church at Christkindl on the edge of town runs the Christmas post office that stamps letters sent from all over.

What to look for

• The Stadtplatz - the long sloping square of Gothic, Renaissance and baroque house fronts.
• The Bummerlhaus - the late Gothic merchant house at the head of the square.
• The river confluence - the meeting of the Steyr and the Enns, with terraces and bridges above it.
• Christkindl church - the pilgrimage church on the edge of town with its Christmas post office.

When to go

Late spring to early autumn for the river walks, or December for the Christkindl post office and the Advent market, which is the town's busiest month by far. Outside those windows Steyr stays quiet even in season. Shops and cafes close early on Saturdays and stay shut on Sundays, so plan meals.

Things to know

There is no single monument that justifies a detour, and anyone arriving expecting a major sight will be through the square in an hour. Many of the fine houses are private, so you see facades rather than interiors. The industrial edges of the town are plain. In December the small centre gets genuinely congested.

Nearby

Linz, the Enns valley and the abbey at Kremsmunster are all within an hour.