At the entrance to the Poitschach Gorge of the Tiebel River, Poitschach brings together sacred architectural history, memories of the iron industry and routes. This gives you two ways to plan your trip: you can focus on the church and castle as cultural-history themes, or make the paths through the gorge the main focus. This keeps your choices grounded in specific local features without assuming a single itinerary.
Church, Castle and Iron History
The private branch church of “Fourteen Holy Helpers” is dedicated to the Fourteen Holy Helpers and is a Baroque church. The high altar is also dedicated to the Fourteen Holy Helpers; their half-length busts are painted in colour and gilded. Its dedication and furnishings give the church a distinctive sacred character. A classification by the diocesan press office in 2024 counts it among the few churches in the Alpine-Adriatic region dedicated as a group to the Fourteen Holy Helpers.
The history of the iron industry is linked to specific dates: an iron hammer mill opened in Poitschach in 1591. When the church was founded in 1713, the village was a thriving centre of the iron industry. The village’s history thus brings together a clearly dated event and the economic importance of iron at the time the church was founded.
Poitschach Castle is a two-storey building with a rectangular ground plan and a tower added on the south side. An entry in the monument register dated 19 June 2026 lists the castle as protected under a decision pursuant to Section 3.
Poitschach Gorge and Routes
Poitschach lies at the entrance to the Poitschach Gorge of the Tiebel River. Over the centuries, the Tiebel shaped the gorge and was originally called Feistritz. The river’s history and the historic place names thus add a landscape perspective to the architectural and industrial history.
Two named cycle routes pass through Poitschach. The R 2 C Turracher Cycle Route runs from Feldkirchen via Poitschach and Himmelberg to the B 95 Turracher StraĂźe. The R 5 B Gurk Cycle Route runs via Wachsenberg to Poitschach, where it joins the R 2 C Turracher Cycle Route.
The tour through the Poitschach Gorge starting from Feldkirchen is 20 kilometres long and suitable for cyclists, runners and walkers. A hiking route with a specific sequence of places is also described: it runs from Waiern via Metzing and KraĂź through the Poitschach Gorge to Poitschach, then returns via Powirtschach. An alternative return route closer to the destination runs via Schleichenfeld and Tobitsch and includes some elevation gain.
The routes differ in the details that help with planning: the tour from Feldkirchen has a stated length and lists several ways to use it; for the hike, the sequence of places and the described return route make it easier to follow the course. The option via Schleichenfeld and Tobitsch adds a note about some elevation gain. This lets you compare the routes based on whether you prefer a measured tour with several listed activities or a hike with a clearly described course.
Discover more destinations: Stiegl, Gnesau, Bodensdorf, Vorwald, Hochrindl-Kegel, Albeck, Rennweg, Hochrindl
For the overview of the wider region: Feldkirchen.
