St. Martin: Cultural History and Circular Walk

St. Martin appeals to travelers who want to combine their choice of hotel with a specific cultural or hiking interest. The history of churches and houses is a main focus; the clearly described “At the Foot of Speiereck” circular walk adds another option. When planning your trip, you can weigh these themes against each other: would you mainly like to explore buildings and their history, or take a circular walk that includes a historical destination?

Churches and Historic Buildings

The branch church of St. Martin is located in the hamlet or district of St. Martin in Lungau. The local history of sacred buildings also includes the Anna or Rochus Chapel, the Gothic cemetery chapel of Sankt Martin. It was originally a two-storey charnel house with an octagonal floor plan. During restoration, it was brought closer to its late medieval design, emphasizing its unity with the parish church. Its function, floor plan and restoration describe different aspects of the building: its original use as a charnel house, its shape and its later return to a late medieval design.

Another trace of history leads to the Heihsgut. Its history dates back to 1478, when the Carinthian Heihs family acquired the house from St. Lambrecht Benedictine Abbey. The Heihsgut includes a Swiss stone pine room dating from 1545. The building is a listed monument and has been designated a cultural monument. The two dates refer to different points in its history: 1478 to the acquisition of the house and 1545 to the Swiss stone pine room. This makes it possible to distinguish the history of the house from a specific architectural detail.

The list of monuments dated June 30, 2025, also records the Ansitz, Heiss-Haus, St. Martiner-Straße 1, 5582 Sankt Michael im Lungau (Sankt Martin), as a listed monument. It also includes the Schüttkasten, Mentenwirts-Kasten, St. Martiner-Straße 7, 5582 Sankt Michael im Lungau (Sankt Martin). The entries identify two other protected buildings. Together with the chapel and the Heihsgut, they offer a varied view of sacred architecture, historic houses and other monuments; the names refer to different buildings.

Getting There and the Circular Walk

If traveling by car, the route follows the toll Tauern Autobahn A10. The described sequence takes you via the St. Michael exit, onward to Tamsweg and through St. Michael to the exit from St. Martin. You can use these listed stages to plan your journey and check road conditions before setting out.

The “At the Foot of Speiereck” circular walk leads to the more than 800-year-old Church of St. Egid, follows the southern side of Speiereck into Sonndörfl and returns to Sankt Martin. The route description thus combines a historical destination with a named route and a return to St. Martin. The Church of St. Egid, the southern side of Speiereck and Sonndörfl provide specific stops along the circular walk. When choosing where to stay, you can therefore consider two different interests: the history of buildings and houses, or a hike that passes a church more than 800 years old.

Discover more destinations: Katschberg, Unternberg, Zederhaus, Sankt Andrä Im Lungau, Zankwarn, Begöriach, Sankt Michael Im Lungau, Weißpriach

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