Krenglbach: Animal Worlds, Hiking Trails and History

In Krenglbach, impressive animal worlds, a short hiking route and visible traces of local history come together. At Zoo Schmiding, gorillas and evolution take centre stage, alongside a large marine aquarium and a walk-through bird of prey enclosure. If you would rather combine your visit with outdoor activity or culture, you’ll find more to explore on the soil education trail and around the parish church. These different highlights can help you plan your trip around your own interests.

Gorillas, Evolution and a Marine Aquarium

The Gorilla Bay at Zoo Schmiding is home to Austria’s only gorillas. At Aquazoo Schmiding, an exhibition covering 3,000 m² takes visitors on a journey through evolution—from the Big Bang to the present day. It is presented as a long journey through time, not just an overview of individual animals. The Aquazoo is also home to Austria’s largest marine aquarium, where a group of blacktip reef sharks lives. Gorilla Bay, the evolution exhibition and the aquarium each offer a distinct focus: animal watching, the history of the Earth and the marine world are presented as different experiences.

The bird of prey enclosure at Zoo Schmiding is the world’s largest walk-through bird of prey enclosure. Visitors can observe vultures there at close range. Those interested in ancient cultures can find artefacts from earlier cultures at the Evolution Museum. The museum is located on the grounds of Zoo Schmiding or immediately next to it. This means that natural history and cultural history are among the different subjects visitors can explore during a stay in Krenglbach.

A Short Loop on the Soil Education Trail

For a hike that fits into a manageable timeframe, Loop 1 of the Krenglbach Soil Education Trail is a specific option: it is 3.50 km long, takes one hour, has an ascent of 30 m and is rated very easy. The one-hour duration makes it easy to fit the loop into your day’s plans. Krenglbach has also had a signposted network of hiking trails since spring 2005. The loop therefore offers a precisely measured introduction, while the trail network provides another option for those interested in hiking.

Church, Light Column and Local History

Krenglbach’s parish church still has the form of an east-facing hall church built in the 18th century. Its 35 m-high west tower has a Baroque spire. The stained-glass windows depict scenes from the lives of Saints Florian and Augustine. The church’s architecture, tower and windows offer different historical and artistic features that can be distinguished when looking at the building.

Another link to the history of the village is the Krenglbach light column. Its main section consists of four glass panels created by the artist Franz Kohler together with the glass workshops of Schlierbach Abbey. The column is intended to record milestones in Krenglbach’s history, recall the special achievements of earlier generations and preserve their memory. The life story of parish priest Anton Reidinger also connects Krenglbach with a well-known song: Reidinger, who wrote the lyrics to “Es wird scho glei’ dumpa,” was born here in 1839.

When planning your trip, you can start by considering which focus interests you most: animal watching and evolution, a hike with a specified duration, or architectural and local history. The loop on the soil education trail has a clearly stated duration of one hour; the cultural and zoological attractions offer other areas of interest. Looking for a holiday apartment in Krenglbach can go hand in hand with deciding which experiences you want to shape your stay.

Discover more destinations: Gunskirchen, Sipbachzell, Edt Bei Lambach, Thalheim Bei Wels, Lambach, Almegg, Au An Der Traun, Aichkirchen.

Return to the overview of the wider region: Wels-Land.