Guiding
Station 14 Ottensheim
When the winds of temptation rise, and when you find yourself threatened by the rocks of tribulation, then look up to the stars and call upon Mary - Saint Bernard of Clairvaux
Meditation text to listen to
Meditation text for the journey
to Wilhering
What gives me direction in my life?
What new revelations have I discovered while on this pilgrimage?
What should be the next step in my life?
Bernhard calls Mary, the mother of Jesus, the Star of the Sea. In times without compasses or navigation systems, sailors oriented themselves by the stars. Mary, as the Star of the Sea, is like a navigation device that leads us to Jesus Christ, her son. On the banks of the Danube, near Ottensheim, I take time to reflect on my last few days. I am back here at the banks of this great river. And now, I am completely at peace myself."
Ottensheim owes its rich history to the Danube. Evidence of settlement dates back to the Neolithic and Hallstatt periods. The Romans built a watchtower here 2,000 years ago, on the foundations of which a castle and eventually Ottensheim Palace were later built. The castle's lord, Knight Otini, is responsible for giving the town its name. Ottensheim was granted market rights as early as 1228, making it the oldest market town in the Mühlviertel region. In the Middle Ages, a wall with three gates protected the town. The ‘inner’ and ‘outer’ moats still exist today as street names. During the Reformation, the Protestant lord of the castle engaged in fierce disputes with the Catholic monastery of Wilhering. The monastery is still active in parish pastoral care. A roll-on ferry across the Danube shortened the distance between them. The parish church was completed in the 16th century. The nave impresses with its beautiful ribbed vault. The high altar is neo-Gothic, while the people's altar was designed in the 1990s by local artist Wolfgang Stifter. The church is dedicated to St. Aegidius, a Greek merchant who later became an abbot. He is one of the 14 Holy Helpers and, with a doe at his feet, also represents humanity's connection to creation. As a trading centre on the river with tolls, customs and goods handling, the local citizens became prosperous. In 1899, a fire destroyed large parts of the market and the church. Not only after that, but also in 2001, the market square was redesigned. Star architect Boris Podrecca implemented a new concept for a communication centre. Ottensheim has a lively cultural scene and is also connected to Linz by a ‘Danube bus’ on the water.
