Sankt Martin Am Techelsberg: Church and History

Sankt Martin Am Techelsberg is a destination for travelers who want to learn about church and local history and combine their stay with walks in the municipality. The main attractions are the parish church of St. Martin, fragments of Roman inscriptions, the historic chaplaincy and wayside shrines between Hadanig and St. Martin. The wider municipality of Techelsberg am Wörther See also has well-marked trails and a mountain biking route.

Parish Church and Earlier Traces

The Catholic parish church of St. Martin is on the southern slope of St. Martiner Berg and is protected as a historic monument by regulation. The monument list is dated June 19, 2026. Two fragments of a Roman funerary inscription were discovered during drainage work in 1978. They are set into the exterior west side of the church, immediately beside the portal. A funerary inscription is an inscription on a grave; the two fragments therefore give the local history a tangible connection to Roman times. The church floor can also be dated: its paving dates from the Baroque period. The fragments of Roman inscriptions and the Baroque floor paving thus represent different historical periods at the same parish church.

The Chaplaincy and Jakob Unrest

Below the parish church stands the chaplaincy, built using the traditional Carinthian block construction method. It is estimated to be 500 years old. It served as the chaplain’s residence. Its construction method, estimated age and former residential function shed light on different aspects of the building: its regional architectural style as well as its place in everyday church life. The parish’s history is also connected with Jakob Unrest. He was parish priest in St. Martin am Techelsberg from 1466 to 1500 and wrote chronicles about Austria and Hungary, as well as a regional chronicle of Carinthia. His Carinthian Chronicle is considered the beginning of Carinthian regional historiography. A local parish office thus stands alongside literary work of significance beyond the local area and for the history of the region.

Wayside Shrines and Religious Art

Between Hadanig and St. Martin, Kaspar Stoif, known as “Schuschnig,” erected a total of 14 wayside shrines from 1855 onward. The restored shrines are considered evidence of Christian tradition and invite visitors to linger, pause and pray in silence. Alongside this clearly defined group, numerous wayside crosses throughout the parish landscape serve as signs of Christian faith. The group of shrines between two named locations is thus distinct from the broader picture of the religious cultural landscape.

Another subject in religious art is the Gaspale Cross: it depicts Mary as Mater Dolorosa, with the body of Jesus Christ taken down from the cross. The modern depiction is by Eduard Lesjak, a Carinthian artist living in Vienna. This specific description of the image and the named artist add an example of modern religious art to the historical details of the wayside shrines.

Trails in the Municipality

In the municipality of Techelsberg am Wörther See, well-marked trails stretch from the shore of Lake Wörthersee to elevations of over 1,000 meters. The church and wayside shrines are more closely connected with Sankt Martin Am Techelsberg, while the trails extend across the municipality. For planning purposes, it is helpful to distinguish between these scales: the church and cultural landscape are at the heart of the local history, while the trails offer a further travel activity in the municipality.

The Techelsberg mountain biking route is about 19 km long and runs over asphalt, gravel and forest paths. Its length and surfaces provide two specific points of reference for assessing the route. One of the waypoints on the Hoher Gallin Circuit is the church of St. Martin am Techelsberg. A user note dated August 19, 2025, states that some sections may be outdated. Check local conditions before setting out.

Discover more destinations: Lukowitz, Pörtschach Am Wörther See, Krumpendorf, Auen, Plaschischen, Treffelsdorf, Ludmannsdorf, Maria Wörth

For the regional travel overview: Klagenfurt-Land.