Poitschach: Discover History and Routes

Poitschach combines local history with routes through the Poitschacher Graben. The village lies at the entrance to the Poitschachgraben of the Tiebel stream. Over the centuries, the Tiebel has shaped the gorge; the stream was originally called Feistritz. The village description thus brings together a landscape, historic buildings and routes. The gorge features both in the description of the landscape and in walking and cycling tours. For planning your trip, you can therefore distinguish between two main interests: the history of the church and castle, and outdoor activities.

Church, Castle and Local History

The private branch church of the “Fourteen Holy Helpers” in Poitschach is Baroque and dedicated to the Fourteen Holy Helpers. The high altar is also dedicated to the Fourteen Holy Helpers. The half-length busts of the Holy Helpers are painted in colour and gilded. The dedication and altar furnishings give the church a clearly defined religious theme, while its Baroque classification adds an architectural aspect. The church was founded in 1713. At that time, Poitschach was a thriving centre of the iron industry. An earlier landmark in the village’s history is the iron hammer, which opened in Poitschach in 1591. The two dates place these historical topics in chronological order: the iron hammer opened more than a century before the church was founded.

Poitschach Castle offers a different perspective on the history of architecture. It is a two-storey building with a rectangular floor plan and a tower attached to the south side. Poitschach Castle is protected as a historic monument under an official decision pursuant to Section 3. The entry in the monument register is dated 19 June 2026. The church is notable for its Baroque style, dedication and altar furnishings, while the castle is distinguished by its described architectural form and formal protected status. This makes it possible to distinguish between two different aspects of the village’s cultural heritage.

Cycling and Hiking Routes

The R 2 C Turracher Radweg (Turrach Cycle Path) runs from Feldkirchen via Poitschach and Himmelberg to the B 95 Turracher Straße. The R 5 B Gurk Radweg (Gurk Cycle Path) runs via Wachsenberg to Poitschach, where it joins the R 2 C Turracher Radweg. The distinction is important for navigation: the R 2 C passes through several named places before reaching the Turracher Straße; the R 5 B joins the R 2 C in Poitschach. As official route designations may be amended by subsequent legal changes, check the current route information when planning your specific trip.

A 20-kilometre tour through the Poitschacher Graben starting in Feldkirchen is suitable for cyclists, runners and walkers. Unlike the two cycle paths, this tour also specifies a distance and several ways to enjoy it; the R 2 C and R 5 B focus on their routes and connections. You can therefore choose between routes based on whether you are looking for a designated cycle connection or a tour with a stated distance and different ways to explore it.

One hike runs from Waiern via Metzing and Kraß through the Poitschacher Graben to Poitschach, then back via Powirtschach. An alternative return route in the vicinity of the destination goes via Schleichenfeld and Tobitsch and includes some elevation gain. The outbound and return routes are therefore described using different sequences of places; the alternative also features elevation gain as an additional characteristic.

When looking for a hotel for your trip, you can first decide what interests you most: are you more interested in Poitschach’s church and castle history, or in cycling and hiking routes?

Discover more destinations: Simonhöhe, Retschitz, Steuerberg, Feldkirchen in Carinthia, Ossiach, Reichenau, Sankt Urban, Briefelsdorf

For the overview of the wider area: Feldkirchen.