Iron Route

The ”Eiserne” is an ancient suit of armour on display in the Local Museum in Waidhofen an der Ybbs. It aptly illustrates what is true of the region as a whole: ”Ferrum chalybsque urbis nutrimenta” (iron and steel are the town’s livelihood). In the Middle Ages the region’s life revolved entirely around iron and iron processing. The history of this industry comes to life in the large number of museums and exhibitions along the route, which passes through the Pyhrn-Eisenwurzen holiday region and goes round the perimeter of the newly established Limestone Alps National Park. The mean scenic feature of the Styrian section is the rugged landscape stretching from the majestic Gesäuse Mountains in the West and the peak of the Hochschwab in the East. At its centre lies the 1,465-metre summit of the Erzberg, the emblem of Styria and the traditional hub of the Austrian mining industry. The Eisenstrasse Culture Park includes fourteen museums, fifteen theme walks and four historic forges.

HIGHLIGHT: The Erzberg on Styria’s Eisenstrasse
The Erzberg belongs geologically to the Palaeozoic greywacke zone which extends in an East-West direction from the Mesozoic northern limestone alps in the North of Lower Austria and the central Alps in the province’s South to Tirol. It is composed of various slates and limestones as well as effusive rocks. The mine, now open to the public, affords an insight into the subterranean labyrinth of tunnels and into the working life of the miners of former ages.
Open:
May 1 to October 31 daily, guided tours between 10am and 3pm, regular times for families and individuals in the mine: 10am, 12:30 and 3pm