Discover Sankt Marein Bei Knittelfeld

If you are planning a stay in Sankt Marein Bei Knittelfeld, you can choose where to stay based on two specific interests: the late Gothic parish church of St. Marein and its works of art, and cycling routes with different itineraries. The town’s history is reflected in several layers of time; when planning your tours, the stated starting point and the route described are what matter.

Parish church and art from several centuries

The Gothic parish church of St. Marein bei Knittelfeld is in the district of St. Marein and was consecrated in 1490. The two lower stories of the church tower are all that remain of the original Romanesque church. A Gothic St. Anne’s Chapel was built around 1364. These dates refer to different building histories: the chapel was built around 1364, while the parish church was consecrated in 1490. The parish church’s northern porch is called Paradise; it contains stone busts of the church’s patron and master builder.

The church contains a votive painting from the early 18th century. It depicts the plundering of the church by Ottoman raiders in 1480. The year 1480 therefore refers to the event depicted, not to when the painting was made. The votive painting is an oil painting on canvas measuring 65 × 75 centimetres. The church also houses a copy of a valuable winged altarpiece from 1524. It shows the Virgin Mary on a “Turkish” crescent moon. Above the tabernacle is a group of figures known as St. Anne with the Virgin and Child, dating from 1430. The works thus offer different dates and pictorial motifs to distinguish between.

Another artistic highlight is the branch church of St. Martha. Built in 1466, it stands on a hill not far from the parish church of St. Marein bei Knittelfeld. The choir walls of the small Gothic church feature three large murals depicting scenes from the life of St. Mary Magdalene and episodes from the life of Jesus. The paintings were restored during renovation work. Here, the murals shape the artistic impression, whereas the parish church is described in terms of its votive painting, altarpiece copy and group of figures.

Cycling routes and mountain destinations

The cycling options differ in their described directions. The Seckau Alpine Cycle Route R24 runs from Kraubath on the Murradweg towards St. Martha and St. Marein. The second stage of the “Nimm´s Radl 05 - Seckau-Gaal Runde” route runs from Seckau via St. Martha and Feistritz to Kobenz, then back to Seckau. The R24 therefore heads towards two named places, while the stage describes a sequence of several places, returning to Seckau. For your planning, use the starting point and route as a guide; check that the route information is up to date before setting out.

The “Tour 74a - MTB - Untere Weinmeisterboden Hütte” mountain bike tour starts at the sports ground in Sankt Marein Bei Knittelfeld and leads into the Feistritzgraben. The sports ground is the stated starting point, and the Feistritzgraben is the destination of the route described. Conditions on this tour can also change; check the current route before setting out.

The municipality of Sankt Marein-Feistritz lies on the southeastern foothills of the Seckau Alps. The Mareiner Boden, the plain between Gulsen, Sulzberg and Eichberg, is a natural area for nearby recreation. In the summer months, you can reach two staffed alpine huts in the Feistritzgraben via Feistritz, Hof, Prankh and Wasserleith. Hut operations can change, so it is advisable to check their seasonal opening arrangements. The Hämmerkogel, the highest point in the municipality of Sankt Marein-Feistritz, can be reached from the Weinmeisterboden Hut. This alpine route is seasonal and depends on conditions.

For travel within the municipality, road connections are another practical point of reference: the municipality of Sankt Marein-Feistritz is directly connected to the S36 Murtal Expressway. Check the current route before setting out.

Discover more destinations: Schönberg, Spielberg, Großlobming, Knittelfeld, Sankt Lorenzen Bei Knittelfeld, Seckau, Kobenz, Kleinlobming

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