Reisberg: Churches, castle history and circular hike

In Reisberg, specific topics relating to church and castle history come together with a circular hike as possible focal points for planning a trip. These include the branch church of St. Peter and Paul, formerly the castle chapel; the castle “Risperc”; the Kunigunde Church in the forest; and the route to the Reisbergerhütte. If you are looking for a hotel in Reisberg, you can weigh up whether historic buildings and religious customs or the hut tour are a better fit for your planned stay.

Church, castle and a possible Roman interpretation

The branch church of St. Peter and Paul on Reisberg was once the castle chapel. Its core is Romanesque-Gothic, and it contains Roman stones as well as Baroque furnishings. Romanesque and Gothic describe medieval architectural styles; the Baroque furnishings add another layer of art history. The Roman stones add a Roman connection to the church building. The terms address different questions: “castle chapel” describes its former function, Romanesque-Gothic its architectural character, and Baroque its furnishings. Thus, several historical connections coexist at the church without reducing it to a single period. The name of the castle on Reisberg is recorded in a document from 1197 as “Risperc.” A votive altar was also found in the castle ruins. It is considered evidence that a sanctuary to “Ianus Geminus” probably already stood in Roman times on the hilltop overlooking the branch church. Chronologically, Roman connections and the medieval castle document sit alongside the Baroque furnishings; the interpretation of the sanctuary remains probable.

The Kunigunde Church and religious customs

The Kunigunde Church on Reisberg is picturesquely situated in a forest. At the Kunigunde festival, traditional “Kunigunde pretzels” are served after the church service, commemorating the empress’s charity. This food custom is therefore linked both to the festival service and to a historical remembrance. A pilgrimage led from the cathedral to the Kunigunde Church on Reisberg. After the pilgrimage, the women’s traditional costume group held an agape with homemade Reindling cake and other cakes. The different occasions give the foods their own distinct context: the pretzels are associated with the Kunigunde festival, while Reindling and cake are served at the agape after the pilgrimage. Alongside the churches, these specific religious and culinary customs can therefore also be part of exploring Reisberg.

Circular hike to the Reisbergerhütte

The circular hike “Saualpe: Reisberger Hüttentour WegNr.7-5b-5c-338-1d-334” starts at the Gasthof Lippbauer and follows hiking trail No. 7 to the Reisbergerhütte. The full route title includes several trail numbers; trail No. 7 is specified for the Reisberg section. This makes it possible to distinguish this specific section from the sequence of numbers in the route name. The starting point, trail section and destination give the tour a different focus from the church and castle history: the Gasthof Lippbauer is the starting point, trail No. 7 is the section described, and the Reisbergerhütte is the destination. If you are looking for a hotel in Reisberg, you can consider the named hut tour as a separate interest alongside the historical themes.

Discover more destinations: Rieding, Hattendorf.

For the wider travel overview: Wolfsberg.