Three distinct themes stand out for a trip to Sankt Gertraud: late Gothic architectural history, the historic transport of ore, and experiences along the Lavant. Specific points of interest range from a named church building to a themed hiking route and traffic-calmed areas by the water. You can first decide whether cultural history, a longer trail, or activities around the river and nature best suit your travel plans.
Church and Industrial History
The parish church of St. Gertraud is in the village of the same name and is a late Gothic building from the first half of the 16th century. Its style and the period in which it was built provide a specific cultural and historical connection if you would like to include religious buildings and their construction period in your trip.
Route 1 of the Ore Hiking Trail is about 12.3 km long. Its historical connection goes back to a trail used by miners from the 16th century until the late 19th century: they used it to transport raw ore from the tunnels on the Wölch to the “Hammer” blast furnace. This makes the hiking trail’s name part of a clear transport story with a named starting point and destination. You can explore the Ore Hiking Trail together with Stollentroll. If you are looking for a trail with a specific historical theme, mining, ore transport and the route are closely connected here.
Another aspect of industrial history is the former Sankt Gertraud ironworks in Vorderwölch. It is protected as a historic monument under a decision pursuant to § 3.
Trails and Experiences Along the Lavant
The Lavantmeile is a traffic-calmed local recreation area along the Lavant. It includes access to the river, bathing platforms, and walking and cycling paths. The focus is therefore on access to the water and getting around on foot or by bike—a different emphasis from the historic hiking route about ore transport.
The Lavant Experience Trail forms a traffic-calmed zone of about 1 km that is accessible to people with disabilities. This is a very different distance from Route 1 of the Ore Hiking Trail, which is about 12.3 km long. Comparing the lengths can help with planning if you are choosing between a shorter zone and a longer hiking route.
The Water Educational Trail of the market town of Frantschach-St. Gertraud provides information along the route about water supply in the municipality. It starts at the bus turning area on the Weinebene LandesstraĂźe, at the edge of Frantschach-St. Gertraud. Its educational focus differs from that of the Lavantmeile, which includes river access and paths in the local recreation area. If you are interested in water both as a leisure activity and as a subject to learn about, the two offer different perspectives.
A Natural Monument by the River
The Entenschnabel adds a distinctive natural feature: a protected natural monument, it is a striking boulder in the Lavant whose shape resembles a duck’s bill. It can be visited from a small parking area in the market town of Frantschach-St. Gertraud. Unlike the themed trails, the focus here is on a single natural formation. If you would like to include natural monuments in your travel plans, the boulder’s distinctive shape is the main point of interest.
Discover more destinations: Preitenegg, Hartelsberg, Prebl, Lamprechtsberg, Klippitztörl, Sankt Martin, Eitweg, St. Ulrich.
Back to the main travel overview: Wolfsberg.
