Freistadt Attractions

Freistadt (560m/1,837ft; pop. 6,700), in the northeast, is the chief town in the lower Mühlviertel, a fortified settlement on the old trade route into Bohemia which has preserved parts of its walls, towers and gates; entrance to the Old Town is through the Linzer Tor (Linz Gate). In the spacious Hauptplatz (main square) can be seen the brightly painted fronts of renovated burghers' houses, as well as the handsome parish church of St Catherine (14th-15th century, remodelled in Baroque style in 1690 and rebuilt in Gothic style in 1967); note in particular the interlaced ribbed vaulting in the roof of the choir. At the northeastern corner of the square a gateway leads to the 14th century Schloss Freistadt, with a 50m/165ft high keep which now houses the Mühlviertler Heimathaus, a local museum with a large collection of verre églomisé (glass decorated with a layer of engraved gold); guided tours only. Outside the Böhmertor (Bohemian Gate) stands the little 15th century Liebfrauenkirche with beautiful "pillars of light" of 1488.