Planetenweg Wels

The Planetenweg Wels is an astronomical teaching path beside the Traun river in the Upper Austrian town of Wels. It runs for about six kilometres along the northern bank on a smooth asphalt surface, making it easy for walkers, cyclists and visitors with limited mobility. The route starts at the old bridge to Thalheim and finishes at the fish ladder of Marchtrenk power station, continuing downstream beyond the last sign. The eleven stations represent the Sun and each planet in our solar system, plus two dwarf planets—Ceres between Mars and Jupiter, and distant Pluto. Each stop has a tall metal column topped by a clear cube containing a scale model of the body it marks. Three information panels on every column give distances to the other objects, key facts about size and orbit, and the mythological figure after whom the planet is named. All distances and sizes follow a 1:1 billion scale, so one metre on the path equals one million kilometres in space. Visitors follow the riverside path past each column, reading how far they have travelled through the solar system. The final station for Pluto lies 5.9 km from the Sun at the start, giving a sense of the vast emptiness between worlds. The 2024 renewal refreshed every model and panel, ensuring the latest astronomical knowledge is on display.