Discover Sankt Veit an der Gölsen

The Via Sacra, the old pilgrimage route from Vienna to Mariazell, runs through the Gölsental community of Sankt Veit an der Gölsen. This historic route offers a different focus from cycling, hiking and local history. Together, these provide a range of starting points for planning your trip.

Cycling: cycle route, mountain bike trails and pump track

The Gölsental Cycle Route, around 20 kilometres long, runs from Ramsau via Hainfeld and Rohrbach to Sankt Veit an der Gölsen, where it joins the Traisental Cycle Route in Traisen. It connects several towns along the way. The Gölsental Pump Track offers a different kind of cycling experience: this paved circuit is 190 metres long and has two different difficulty levels. This lets you choose between a cycle route connecting several towns and a compact circuit.

There are also marked mountain bike trails in Sankt Veit. They are maintained by the municipality or the tourism association with the consent of the landowners. If you plan to ride one of these trails, check the current permissions locally. Before visiting the pump track, check the local operating conditions.

Hiking and nature at Staff

The hike from the main square in Sankt Veit an der Gölsen to Staffhütte takes about 45 minutes. Alongside the Gölsental Cycle Route’s approximately 20 kilometres, this gives you two different measures for planning: an estimated duration for the hike and a distance for the cycling tour. You can use the time and distance to suit your plans.

Among the orchids found along the nature trail at St. Veiter Staff is the very rare lesser butterfly orchid. At the Staffspitze, ramparts, ditches and sparse remains of walls from an early medieval castle have been preserved. This brings together two distinct themes: botanical features along the nature trail and historical traces at the Staffspitze.

Church, market and local history

The parish church of St. Vitus in Sankt Veit an der Gölsen is a former fortified church and a Late Gothic hall church with stepped aisles dating from the second half of the 15th century. As a Gothic parish church, it is known as the “Cathedral of the Gölsental.” A Late Gothic crucifix from around 1510 to 1520 comes from the school of Martin Kriechbaum. The terms highlight different aspects: “former fortified church” refers to its former defensive character, “hall church with stepped aisles” describes the building’s architectural style, and “Cathedral of the Gölsental” is the church’s name. The dates also refer to different things: the second half of the 15th century for the church and around 1510 to 1520 for the crucifix.

The historically significant market is one of the most important sights in Sankt Veit. St. Veiter Stone Garden is within the defensive wall of the former churchyard. So, alongside the church, you can also explore the market and a place with a specific connection to the former churchyard.

There is also a botanical and geological open-air museum in Sankt Veit an der Gölsen. If you plan to visit, check before travelling whether it is open.

Discover more destinations: Kleinzell, Ramsau Bei Hainfeld, Sankt Aegyd Am Neuwalde, Mitterbach Am Erlaufsee, Traisen, Erlaufboden, Oberried, Eschenau An Der Traisen

For the higher-level travel overview: Lilienfeld.