Kalkofen in Mühldorf

In Mühldorf, the lime kiln consisting of three kilns was renovated in 2015 to ensure its continued existence and make it accessible to visitors and local residents.

The craft of lime burning has a long tradition in the Waldviertel. Limestone was burned here as early as the 11th century. The Bohemian Massif, which contains limestone, makes the region predestined for lime burning. Before lime was replaced by cement as a binding agent for walls, it was a much sought-after material. Lime was used as a masonry mortar, as a coating and in road construction. However, the building material was also used in glass and ceramic production, as a dye or as a fertilizer and remedy.

From the 19th century onwards, lime burning experienced its heyday due to the increased volume of construction. Many farmers produced lime themselves as a sideline. From the Second World War onwards, however, they were replaced by large industrial plants and other building materials such as concrete. In the post-war period, there was another brief heyday for the rural field kilns, until the traditional lime kilns were finally abandoned for good in the 1970s.