Dobl: Church and Building History

If you are looking for a hotel in Dobl, a look at the local highlights can help you decide where to travel. The “Maria im Dorn” parish church and Gjaidhof represent different chapters of history, while the transmitter mast adds a technical landmark. For active pursuits, there is a motor skills park, the play and activity park at the Toni-Fließer sports ground, and a cycling tour that includes a section to Dobl. This gives you a way to explore the area through its cultural history or outdoor activities.

Local history between church and castle

Dobl was first mentioned in a document in 1219 under the historical name “Tobel”. The neighbouring forest also has its own name: it was later called the Kaiserwald. This means that the area’s historical associations extend beyond its buildings to include the surrounding landscape.

The “Maria im Dorn” parish church originated as the chapel of the hunting castle of the Babenbergs and, later, the Habsburgs. Its surviving original structure is Romanesque; remnants of frescoes were uncovered in the roof structure. Empress Maria Theresa commissioned the sculptor Balthasar Moll to furnish the church interior. In the 18th century, the church was a much-visited pilgrimage site. This is remembered by the “Kirtasonntag”, celebrated annually around 12 July: it commemorates the ceremonial enthronement of the statue of the Virgin Mary in 1760 on the new high altar donated by Maria Theresa.

Two historical stages can be distinguished at Gjaidhof. After it was restored in 1480, it was already described as a castle. Around 1570, Archduke Charles had Gjaidhof expanded into a castle by his court building foreman, Dionysia Tade. The Dobl-Zwaring Library is located in historic Gjaidhof Castle. The site thus brings together the history of the building and the library’s present-day location.

Technical landmarks and outdoor activities

Another highlight is the transmitter mast belonging to Sender Dobl. It is 156 metres high and the tallest structure in Styria. Alongside the area’s ecclesiastical and architectural history, it is a technical structure with a distinctive regional feature.

Dobl’s sports facilities include a motor skills park. The play and activity park is located at the Toni-Fließer sports ground in Dobl-Zwaring. Covering an area of 4,400 square metres, it offers a total of 26 outdoor activity stations. These details give you a concrete idea of the type of activity facility at the sports ground, without presuming any particular suitability or use.

Cycling can also be enjoyed on a named route. The “Flair des Südens 731” cycling tour follows the Erzherzog-Johann cycle route R9 to Dobl. It then runs via Muttendorf onto the northern section of the Kainachtal cycle route R14. The route names and the transition via Muttendorf help you find your way; no distance or journey time is specified.

Getting to the Sender Dobl Museum

To get to the Sender Dobl Museum, you can take the S7 or S61 suburban train to Lieboch and then the RegioBus 714 to the Dobl Neue Welt stop. From there, it is about 700 metres on foot. Alternatively, take the RegioBus 691 to the Dobl Ort stop; from there, the walk is also about 700 metres. Check connections and stops before setting off. The two options differ mainly in the bus route and the stop where you get off; the walk after that is given as approximately 700 metres for both.

Discover more destinations: Raaba, Frohnleiten, Taschen, Rein, Fölling, Übelbach, Laßnitzhöhe, Gratkorn.

Return to the regional travel overview: Graz-Umgebung.