What makes a stay in Sankt Michael Ob Bleiburg special? The pilgrimage church of St. Catherine connects a wooded hill with views across the Jauntal Valley. The World Field in St. Michael adds a second, ecologically focused highlight. Cultural, water and activity-related themes also appeal to a range of interests.
Pilgrimage Church with Views of the Jauntal Valley
The pilgrimage church of St. Catherine is a subsidiary and pilgrimage church north of St. Michael/Ĺ mihel. It stands on a wooded hill above St. Michael and offers views across the entire Jauntal Valley. The building thus combines its sacred character with a striking perspective on the surrounding landscape.
Inside the church is a stone statue of St. Catherine, just under life-size, dating from the third quarter of the 14th century. The figure is therefore slightly smaller than life-size; its date places the artwork in the late Middle Ages. The hilltop location and the statue offer two distinct points of interest: one leads to the Jauntal Valley, the other to art history.
World Field, Culture and Education
The World Field | Njiva zemljanov in St. Michael ob Bleiburg | Šmihel pri Pliberku is the first bilingual World Field and opened in 2021. The project combines a 200 m² global field with extensive vegetable cultivation. A global perspective on agriculture and hands-on cultivation thus come together in one project. Plantings may change with the seasons.
The World Field team organises events for adults focused on learning together and exchanging ideas with other institutions in Austria. Topics include biodiversity, preserving diversity and sustainable ecological farming. Individual events and dates may vary. A 2022 description also identifies Njiva zemljanov in Ĺ mihel as a place for education and culture, with cultural events and workshops. If a particular programme is important for your trip, check the dates for your travel period.
KPD Šmihel includes a theatre school that children and young people can attend throughout the year. Individual courses and productions may change. Unlike the World Field’s varying event dates, the theatre school is therefore a year-round educational offering for children and young people.
The cemetery chapel and wayside shrine in Sankt Michael Ob Bleiburg are also protected as historic monuments by decree. The Federal Monuments Authority register entry is dated 19 June 2026.
Water, Landscape and Activities
Lake Pirkdorf lies among meadows and forests at the foot of the 2,114 m Petzen mountain. Swimming is possible at Lake Pirkdorf; in summer, the water can reach 27 °C, and the lake is up to 3.5 m deep. The landscape description and the information about swimming, temperature and depth offer different points of reference for travellers interested in nature and water.
The Kids Nature Trail is part of the MTB ZONE Bikepark Petzen; it is a route for children. So, alongside swimming, there is a dedicated bike park trail, as well as the themes of landscape and cultural heritage. Which activities are suitable for your trip depends on which of these interests you would like to prioritise.
Plan Your Stay
For planning, it helps to group the themes by their character: the pilgrimage church combines religious heritage with views across the Jauntal Valley, the World Field focuses on agriculture and education, and swimming and the children’s trail in the bike park cater to other activity interests. The best way to plan a combination is to consider the specific places and dates that matter to you.
Discover more destinations: Gösselsdorf, Klopein, Feistritz Ob Bleiburg, Sankt Primus, Lind, Unterburg Am Klopeiner See, Miklauzhof, Bad Eisenkappel
Return to the main travel overview: Völkermarkt.
