The little city of Steyr needs neither Sachertorte nor the Sound of Music to hold it's own. An intriguing history, well-preserved architecture, and thriving industry set the scene.

By Tom Bross

Steyr at sunset

Austria's "Big Three"-Vienna-Salzburg-Innsbruck-get maximum attention among first-time and repeat visitors to the country. But just a hundred miles from Vienna, and even less from Salzburg, the little city of Steyr (population 40,000) needs neither Sachertorte nor the Sound of Music to hold it's own. An intriguing history, well-preserved architecture, and thriving industry set the scene.

After flowing through the hilly Traunviertel region of Upper Austria (Oberösterreich), the Steyr and Enns Rivers converge to form a sharp triangle of land where picturesque, walkable Steyr has stood for 1,000-plus years. Rows of arcaded Renaissance, baroque, and rococo townhouses, crammed wall-to-wall, set the harmonious scene. For visual accentuation, massive Schloss Lamberg, dramatically floodlighted after nightfall, commands the heights of an adjacent promontory. The castle's foundations date from the 10th century, when Franconian-Bavarian Babenberger margraves ruled what ultimately became this northerly segment of imperial Austria-Hungary.

Trading rights were granted by Duke Albrecht I in 1287, boosting waterborne commerce (the Enns empties into the Danube 30 km/18 mi north of town). Resulting prosperity goes a long way toward explaining rich details noticeable on structures surrounding the elliptical Stadtplatz. Tallest amidst the ensemble: the slender white belfry of Steyr's mid-18th-century Rathaus, a can't-miss landmark featuring a rococo-encrusted façade and ornamental balustrades.