It’s April 24th, the fourth day of Maria Antonia’s journey enroute to marry the French dauphin, Louis XVI. Did the future Marie Antoinette spend the night in Braunau am Inn? Some sources say yes, others say her carriage stopped on the way through the city, but she did not spend the night.

Some of the information on the bridal journey stops are not as absolute as the dates spent at abbeys and existing palaces that are well documented. I’ve done my best to piece the route together. In the case of Braunau am Inn, I elected to go with spending the night since this will be the last stop in Austria before moving on to Germany. I’m so glad I did as this is a lovely little town.

The rail station is about a 1/2 mile from my hotel. Its name, the Ambiance Hotel, is apt as there is a definite ambience. Outdoor tables are full of diners enjoying this sunny Spring Saturday. Some are having a late lunch with wine, glasses clinking. Others are enjoying a cup of coffee, so popular through Austria.

In the day of the Holy Roman Empire (ruled by Maria’s family, the Hapsburgs) Germany was included in that empire. Today, the River Inn is a border between Austria and Germany. I arrive mid afternoon debarking at the Braunau rail station.

Who and What left a Mark on Branau

In 2026, the houses line up in soft pastels. appearing quite tranquil showing no reflection of the turmoil there as a result of its geographic location. As a prominent medieval town, its strategic location was great for trade. It has been around since 1260, although it existed as a Roman settlement for years before and became a town as a possession of Bavaria. Control changed between Bavaria and Austria a number of times and became (finally) an Austrian town in 1816.

Additionally, in the years since the Archduchess past through in 1770:

In the early 1800’s, Napoleon Bonaparte (second marriage to Marie Antoinette’s great-niece) visited Braunau on several occasions while his military forces were in occupation.

The composer of the melody Silent Night Holy Night Franz Xavier Gruber, was born in another village near Braunau (Hochburg-Ach). The hymn was performed first in Braunau in 1818 and is still performed each Christmas Eve.

The Orient Express went through Braunau am Inn, from Paris to Istanbul beginning in 1883.

Hitler was born in this town in 1889, his family moving from Braunau while he was a toddler.

Germany invaded in 1938 through Braunau am Inn and annexed Austria. In the Battle of Braunau in 1945, the US Army liberated the city.

Braunau Today

To walk through this town with its youthful vibe, it takes a deep breath to remember those centuries of history. It’s vibrant retail section with cutting edge barber shops, men’s upscale clothing stores and sidewalk restaurants feels like a city larger than it’s less than 20,000 population. Should you decide to stop by on your way through the countryside, I wish you more time than I had. As my day wound down, I enjoyed a delicious dinner at the hotel restaurant.

What’s Next

In the morning, I decided to depart through the Simbach, Germany train station. Rolling backpack at my side, I traversed the River Inn and moved on into Germany, specifically the region of Bavaria.

Bonus Photo

It’s difficult to get a photo at any of the rail stops. I did manage to catch what I believe are beehives while approaching a station near Merkl en route to our next stop, Altoetting, Germany.