Kirchdorf Am Inn: Nature, Culture and Experiences on the Inn

Kirchdorf am Inn combines the distinctive stepped landscape along the Lower Inn with experiences in nature, living traditions and unusual excursion destinations. The municipality is located directly on the Inn Cycle Path and in the middle of the Unterer Inn European Nature Reserve. This offers a varied mix of cycling, landscapes, history and a special experience for children when planning your trip.

Nature and Paths along the Lower Inn

The landscape can be explored in various ways. The Castle Walking Trail passes an observation platform with views of the Unterer Inn European Protected Area. Along the route, several information boards entitled “Life on the Inn” provide information about the historical, cultural and geological features as well as the traditions of this habitat. The “Unterer Inn European Nature Reserve” observation platform is located directly on the Inn Cycle Path and makes the natural surroundings a tangible part of a cycling tour.

If you are looking for a shorter route, consider the Inn Walking Trail. After about 1 km, it ends back in Kirchdorf am Inn along the Inn Cycle Path. Another defining feature of the surrounding area is the untouched riparian forest of the Unterer Inn European Nature Reserve. Up to 300 bird species breed there. This creates a contrast for your day’s itinerary between active movement on the cycle path, a walk with information boards and views of the riparian landscape.

Church, Castle and Regional History

Kirchdorf am Inn’s cultural history is also closely linked to specific places and traditions. The Feast of the Sacred Heart has been celebrated here in a festive setting since 1903. A procession takes place on Sacred Heart Sunday. By the mid-16th century, the parish church of Kirchdorf am Inn was already an important pilgrimage site dedicated to the Virgin Mary and contains tomb monuments of the owners of Katzenberg Castle. The Lourdes Chapel was built in 1901 following the miraculous healing of Aloisia Aigner.

Katzenberg Castle was first documented in 1196 as the property of the Bishops of Passau and was referred to as Chotzenperig Castle. The ground floor houses a prayer book and bookbinding museum with magnificent Bibles, prayer books and pocket calendars, as well as old bookbinding machines and tools. The castle also includes a landscaped garden that displays old trees, rose plantings, spring flowers and shrubs based on historical models.

If you would like to discover Katzenberg Castle as part of a guided tour, castle tours are offered from May to October on the first Sunday of each month at 2 p.m. Additional tours are available by prior arrangement and for groups of 10 or more. The dates can therefore be a useful reference point if you would like to combine your trip with a scheduled cultural activity.

An Excursion Destination for Curious Children

DINOLAND Katzenberg Castle adds a completely different theme. The site covers 40,000 square metres of woodland and meadow with more than 70 life-sized dinosaurs, skeletons and fossils. Interactive areas for children invite them to discover, touch and try things out. At the research camp, children can sift for treasures and uncover fossils. Families can therefore plan a stay that complements nature and cultural topics with an engaging world of discovery.

The Right Accommodation for Your Trip

When looking for a holiday apartment or holiday home in Kirchdorf am Inn, you can initially use your preferred daily itinerary as a guide. The Inn Cycle Path, the observation platform and the riparian forests are ideal for a trip focused on landscapes and activity. The parish church, Katzenberg Castle, the museum and the scheduled tour dates offer different highlights. Those travelling with children can plan DINOLAND as a separate focus of their excursion. This allows you to choose your accommodation according to the character of your trip: active and close to nature, focused on culture or with an additional experience centered around dinosaurs and fossils.

For more destinations in the surrounding area, you can also explore Mettmach, Sankt Martin Im Innkreis, Peterskirchen, Neuhofen Im Innkreis, Sankt Georgen Bei Obernberg Am Inn, Geiersberg, Pattigham and Andrichsfurt.

For the broader travel overview: Ried Im Innkreis.