Sankt Margarethen: Church and Nature Trails

Branch Church and Local History

The Catholic branch church of St. Margaret in Sankt Margarethen is protected as a historic monument by decree. The present-day district of “St. Margarethen” is named after the church; the district was first mentioned in historical records in 1444. Prayer processions to the branch church still take place today. The history of the name and religious practice thus come together in the local history.

Another religious tradition is associated with Bruderloch, a stone cave in the present-day district of St. Margarethen, north of Bad Vigaun. According to legend, church services were held there as early as the 5th century AD. The legend thus places the story in a much earlier period than the district’s first recorded mention in 1444. These two dates tell different sides of the local religious tradition.

Church Service at the Branch Church

A Saturday evening service is held at the branch church at 7:00 pm. In even-numbered calendar weeks, it is a Holy Mass; in odd-numbered calendar weeks, it is a Liturgy of the Word. If you would like to plan your visit around the service, check the current parish schedule beforehand: service times may change.

Trails with Different Focuses

The “Lifeline of Nature” themed trail leads to St. Margarethen Church. Its features include viewpoints, seating areas and a biotope; information boards cover water, forests and the Ice Age. The themes therefore range from natural environments to the Ice Age, while the viewpoints and seating areas offer places to take in the scenery and linger.

A leisurely circular hiking trail passes through Sankt Margarethen and follows the “Lifeline of Nature” themed trail back to the starting point. The distinction is useful when choosing a route: the themed trail leads to the church, while the circular walk includes the return to the starting point. You can therefore choose between a route with the church as its destination and a loop.

A nature trail runs along the Taugl in the municipality of Bad Vigaun, from Vitzthumgut to the Roman Bridge. The course of the river and the trail’s endpoints make the route easy to follow. By contrast, the “Lifeline of Nature” themed trail focuses on its information boards, viewpoints, seating areas and biotope. The routes therefore differ both in their course and in their focus.

The Taugl and a Summer Swimming Spot

In the protected landscape area of “Tauglgries,” the Taugl can shift freely within a gravel bed up to 100 metres wide. The river’s changing course offers another connection with nature, alongside the trails described above and their fixed destinations.

In the municipality of Bad Vigaun, large, flat rock slabs along the Taugl are used by locals and visitors as a swimming spot during the summer months. If you would like to swim there, check local conditions beforehand. The swimming spot is described as a seasonal facility.

Discover more destinations: Sankt Koloman, Abtenau, Gaißau, Weissenbach, Golling An Der Salzach, Krispl, Steuer, Scheffau am Tennengebirge

For the main travel overview: Hallein.