Engelhartszell- Über Maut & Fliesteiner

Engelhartszell is an experience for itself! The small market town is embedded in the densely wooded breakthrough valley of the upper Danube closely to the border to Bavaria.
The street “Marktstraße” with its historical houses forms the quaint town centre.
Remarkable: The facades impress with their simplicity combined with wonderful architectural details like door frames, door panels…just have a look around and explore! The entire ensemble represents the long history of the town as an important toll station in the border area.
 
Already in 1194 the toll station of Engelhartszell is mentioned in a document. The ending “-zell” of the town’s name suggests its origin of a former hermitage, also called “Zelle”.
Along the Donausteig hiking trail we experience many other town names that indicate such hermitages (“Zellen”) like Obernzell, Innzell…
In 1293 Engelhartszell is declared as a market town for the first time. The emblem of the market town counts as one of the oldest ones in Upper Austria with the first display in 1700!
In 1450 the establishment of the imperial toll station took place. Every ship had to dock here. A chain, which was stretched across the river, ensured this. Afterwards the ships had to fully unload and on all goods duty had to be paid. Additionally every anchored ship needed to pay a rental fee for the berth and for the place that was needed for the unloaded goods. The loading up or unloading of the ships required its time and often lasted for three days.
This “forced” stay lead to an economic boom for Engelhartszell: 8 inns, 6 bakeries, 5 butchers, a blacksmith…for further 430 years this secure spring of income would bubble until the customs office was moved to Passau and heralded the end of the economic prosperity of Engelhartszell. Today many information boards on the buildings of the street “Marktstraße” and of course the large sgraffito (picture of scratching finery) on the former imperial toll house remind of the glorious past.

Engelhartszell was also home to the business of “Fliesteiner”, which were fast carrier boats (17m long and 2,2m wide) with a hut in the middle. They were used on the Danube for smaller group and good transports and operated regularly between Passau and Linz. Upstream they could be pushed by a single horse which went on board during downstream tour. The “Fliesteiner” drove from the 17th century until the 19th century, then they were replaced by steam ships. Such a carrier ship is depicted in the large sgraffito on the imperial toll house. In the exhibition “Donaugeschichten” of the “Engelhartszeller Donauwelt” you can even see a real “Fliesteiner”. By the way: Today the traditional costumes of “Fliesteiner” are worn by the music chapel of Engelhartszell!
 
In 1994 Engelhartszell was the event location for the Upper Austrian national exhibition “Die Donau”. Afterwards from this exhibition developed the “Engelhartszeller Donauwelt”, which turns Engelhartszell with its many places of attractions into an unique experience world of the Danube.
 
Recommendation: A short walk along the street “Marktstraße” – from the community offices to the imperial toll house (today home to the Energie AG) – gives you beautiful impressions of the golden age of toll collection on the Danube. You should pay attention especially to architectural gems like door frames and panels… just magnificent!