Kirchham

A place with a wide view. The municipal area covers 28 square kilometers. The highest elevations are the “Kogl” with the “Himmelreich” (767 meters above sea level) and the “Haberg/Oberriedl” (807 meters above sea level) as well as in the east the long stretched “Feichtenberg” (664 meters above sea level). From these elevations one can enjoy fascinating views of the surrounding mountains – over the Tote Gebirge and the Traunstein area in the south to the Höllengebierge in the southwest. The view from west to north extends from the Hausruck to the plains of central Upper Austria, sometimes even as far as the Mühlviertel and Bohemia. To the west, the forested Hausrückhöhe and the Höllengebirge form the horizon. Kirchham is crossed by the two “Laudach rivers”. The “Outer Laudach” rises in the area around the Traunstein near the Laudachsee. The “Inner (also “Dürre”) Laudach” draws its water from the wooded hills of the Hagenmühle district.

High quality of life. The well-developed infrastructure (local water supply, sewer, road and local heating network, sports and recreational facilities) as well as a varied and intact cultural landscape lovingly tended by farmers contribute significantly to the recognized high quality of life and living. Living in the countrysideDespite its central location, Kirchham is literally surrounded by greenery. Old and also new paths connect lush meadows, fields, natural shrub hedges and forest patches with the settlement areas. Thus, the people of Kirchham have a recreational area within walking distance, which provides a special experience of nature for children and adults. In addition to its scenic beauty, Kirchham has a very well-functioning village community, which is characterized by an extremely active club, cultural and sports life.

The Traunseebahn connects… Kirchham with the district capital Gmunden and the market town Vorchdorf, and it is a convenient means of transport for students, professionals as well as for leisure travelers. Modern trains stop every 30 minutes at Kirchham, Kirchham Ort, Sportplatz, Laizing and Eisengattern. The attractive Park & Ride facility at the sports field has 54 marked parking spaces including an efficient e-charging station and a covered bicycle parking facility.

History. The name Kirchham appears in old writings in very different spellings. One reads “Kürhrimb”, “Khihamb”, Khirichham”, “Chiricheim” or “Kirchheim”. Already in the middle of the 4th century before Christ Celts populated our region. Immediately before the birth of Christ our area came to the Roman Empire. In the 7th century Kirchham belonged to the Duchy of Bavaria before it was assigned to the Duchy of Austria from 1200. The first mention goes back to Pope Innocent IV, who mentions the Laurentius Chapel in “Chirichheim” in a document addressed to the Kremsmünster Abbey on 14.06.1249. Since March 17, 1849, Kirchham has been an independent municipality and the number of inhabitants rose from 1,462 in 1869 to 2,241 as of September 30, 2022.