A stay in Sankt Magdalen can be shaped around three interests: swimming at Lake Magdalen, sports at actionbeach / Silbersee, or church art in the branch church of St. Magdalen-Villach. The difference is clear when choosing your focus: swimming at Lake Magdalen is free for the whole family; swimming at actionbeach is also free, and four sports are offered there as well. The church adds a historical note through its age and its altars. Before looking for a holiday apartment, you can therefore consider whether water, activity or culture should shape your stay.
Swimming and sports by the water
Swimming at Lake Magdalen is free for the whole family. The lake’s public access is best reached on foot or by bike. At the relaxbeach by the lake, there is a children’s play area and a bocce court. This makes it easy to plan your swim around a clear focus: swimming, the play area or bocce. Which extra feature matters to you depends on your interests. Facilities may change; check locally before your trip.
Swimming at actionbeach / Silbersee in Villach-St. Magdalen is also free. The activities on offer include tennis, table tennis, bocce and beach volleyball. Free swimming is therefore common to both options; they differ in their additional leisure facilities: the relaxbeach at Lake Magdalen is described as having a play area and bocce court, while several sports are the focus at actionbeach. This makes it easier to choose if you are looking for a specific activity in addition to swimming. Sports offerings may change; check locally before your trip to see which ones are available.
Church art at St. Magdalen
The present-day branch church of St. Magdalen-Villach was built around 1800. It measures 15.30 m in length and 7.70 m in width on the outside, making the building almost twice as long as it is wide. The details about the high altar and the left side altar then reveal two different aspects of church art: an image motif and a dedication to Mary.
The Baroque high altar depicts Saint Magdalene as a penitent in front of a cave. A skull and an ointment jar lie at her feet. The combination of the figure, cave and objects gives the motif a specific context. For art-interested travellers, this offers a precise point of reference: the depiction can be identified not only by the saint’s name, but also by her role as a penitent and the attributes accompanying her.
The left side altar dates from 1696 and is dedicated to Saint Mary. The two dates refer to different things: the present-day branch church was built around 1800, while 1696 dates the left side altar. It also differs in subject from the high altar: the depiction of Saint Magdalene is at the centre there, while this altar is dedicated to Mary. This gives you two distinct points of reference for a cultural and historical stay: a specific altar painting and the dedication of another altar.
Discover more destinations: Rosenbach, Ragain, Gschriet, Äußere Einöde, Feld Am See, St. Egyden, Feistritz An Der Gail, Glanz
Return to the main travel overview: Villach.
