Deutsch Griffen combines a fortified church on a mountain spur with historic buildings and hikes from the valley floor to the Nockberge. When planning your trip, you can choose from different themes, including religious art, architectural history and exploring the landscape on foot. Local trails range from the historic town centre to hiking destinations in the Nockberge; a pilgrimage route also passes through the municipality.
Fortified Church and Historic Buildings
The fortified Church of St James the Elder dates back to the 12th century. The parish church is dedicated to St James and stands on a mountain spur overlooking the Griffnertal valley. A covered staircase with 178 steps leads up to the church; steps from there lead down into the town. The local population fortified the parish church as a place of refuge against the Turks, who camped outside Deutsch Griffen in 1476 and 1478.
The parish has a valuable Lenten cloth from the late 18th century depicting the Lamentation of Christ. The early Gothic charnel house, dedicated to St Oswald, stands northeast of the parish church. At the cemetery is a missionary cross, designed as an Arma Christi, or Passion, cross featuring the instruments of Christ’s Passion. It was probably erected in 1860 on the occasion of the first popular mission.
The listed parish barn is another example of historic architecture in the Gurktal valley. Its timber-block construction has remained unchanged, apart from a few alterations, since the valley was settled in the Middle Ages. The lime kiln is protected under Austria’s monument protection regulations. The Deutsch-Griffen Local History Museum displays restored tools from the collection.
Hikes and Pilgrimage Route
The Mill Circular Trail starts in the historic town centre. Other hikes lead from the valley floor to the Nockberge, including routes to Lattersteig, Wintertaler Nock and Eisenhut. There is also a forest nature trail to explore. The local routes vary both in their starting points and in the destinations mentioned.
The Hemma Pilgrimage Route passes through the municipality and follows its roughly 800-kilometre course to Gurk Cathedral. This is distinct from the Hochrindl to Deutsch Griffen section, which is around 7.5 kilometres long and has an elevation difference of around 700 metres. Trail conditions can vary; check them when planning this section.
Places of Faith and Local Traditions
To this day, the procession on Rogation Monday goes from the parish church to the Kerschbaumer Cross and back to town. A service in the church marks its conclusion. The cross originally stood above the farmhouse on the old connecting path to Hochrindl, known as the Rauscheggerweg, at the Rauscheggen-Bach fork.
St Hubertus Chapel has an accessible interior with a mural depicting the legend of St Hubertus. Many people consider the Jakobi BrĂĽnnlein a place of power. These different sites and traditions complement the architectural history of the parish church with further religious and local themes.
Discover more destinations: Gurk, Liebenfels, Frauenstein, Sankt Veit an der Glan, Eberstein, Lölling Graben, Seebauer, Mölbling.
Back to the main travel guide: Sankt Veit An Der Glan.
