Discover Sankt Veit an der Glan

The cultural range extends from medieval fortifications and sacred architecture to museums devoted to technology and local history. There is also traditional craftsmanship, a moorland landscape, and trails offering different ways to explore history and nature. To plan your trip, you can first decide whether architecture, exhibitions, craftsmanship, or outdoor activities should be the main focus.

Castles, a cathedral, and medieval crafts

Hochosterwitz Castle is an outstanding example of a medieval fortress and defensive structure. Visitors can reach it by the Fürst-Max-Bahn; check whether the railway is running on the date of your visit before setting out. The Hochosterwitz Castle restaurant serves traditional Carinthian cuisine. Check in advance whether the restaurant is currently open.

Gurk Cathedral is an important monument of 12th-century sacred architecture and was founded by Saint Hemma. Her tomb is in its crypt, which is supported by a hundred columns. The Gurk Treasury houses more than 300 objects of Carinthian religious art. The cathedral, crypt, and treasury thus offer different perspectives on sacred architecture and craftsmanship.

At Burgbau Friesach, a medieval hilltop castle is being built across different stages of development on an area of around 4,000 m². Historical craft knowledge is used, with no modern equipment. Visitors can watch craftspeople at work and experience medieval crafts without technical aids. In Friesach, the 28-metre-high chapel tower of the Petersberg castle complex houses the town museum across six floors.

Museums spanning local history and technology

The St. Veit Museum explores the history of the town of St. Veit an der Glan and the region’s transport network. Its permanent exhibition areas include railways and model railways, a driving simulator for an electric railcar, motorisation and the gendarmerie, as well as postal and telecommunications services. The history of St. Veit is also a dedicated topic. Details of the permanent exhibitions may change over time.

The Auer von Welsbach Museum displays early metal-filament incandescent lamps, a collection of rare lighters, and early gas mantle lighting fixtures. The museum also has an authentically equipped laboratory with a light and sound presentation. Whether the presentation takes place during your visit may vary; check in advance.

The Heinrich Harrer Museum displays more than 5,000 exhibits across 1,000 m². Opposite the museum is the Lingkor, a Tibetan pilgrimage trail. The contrast between the exhibition rooms and the outdoor trail offers two distinct ways to experience a visit.

Moorland and trails

The Hörfeld Moor nature reserve stretches between the municipalities of Hüttenberg and Mühlen and covers around 140 ha. The 6.7-kilometre circular trail takes about 2.5 hours and passes through the protected area; a path makes the moor accessible on foot. Seasonal conditions may affect access. Check current conditions before your walk.

The history of ore transport can also be explored on foot: the route of the old ore railway can now be walked. In the past, the railway transported ore to the smelting works at Heft. Its former role in transport and the trail’s use today therefore sit side by side. For a cycling tour, the wider Mittelkärnten travel region offers specially signposted themed routes that take cyclists through the area and to the region’s lakes.

Traditions and regional orientation

The Hüttenberg Reiftanz takes place every three years in Hüttenberg on the Sunday after Pentecost. As the exact performance date varies from year to year, check the dates for your planned travel year. The wider Mittelkärnten travel region also provides a framework for exploring hiking options: family-friendly and challenging trails connect Hochosterwitz Castle, Gurk Cathedral, the gentle peaks of the Saualpe, the vineyards at Längsee, and historic towns such as St. Veit an der Glan, Althofen, and Friesach. The range of trails and themes mentioned can help you choose the focus of your trip without narrowing culture, landscape, and activity to a single type of visit.

Discover more destinations

Discover more destinations: Althofen, Guttaring, Treffling, Knappenberg, Sankt Veit an der Glan, Mölbling, Metnitz, Liebenfels, Gurk, Glödnitz, Friesach, Flattnitz, Eggen, Deutsch Griffen, Eberstein, Launsdorf, Hüttenberg, Sankt Georgen am Längsee, Krobathen, Kaindorf, Sankt Veit an der Glan, Passering, Sadin, Straßburg, Klein Sankt Paul, Frauenstein, Kraig, Lölling Graben, Micheldorf, Weitensfeld im Gurktal, Sand, Seebauer.

Go to the main travel overview: Carinthia.