Lethkogel defines Gamsgebirg with its distinctive elevation, a viewpoint and archaeological significance. The area also features Pletterikapelle and hiking trails with varied terrain. For planning, you can consider the area according to specific interests: views, early settlement history, or a forest trail leading to a chapel.

Lethkogel: Landscape, Views and Archaeology

Lethkogel in Gamsgebirg is 608 m high and is a steep-sided hill with an eastern-facing slope, located on an eastern spur of the Koralpe. Its name is associated with a clear elevation and a specific landform: a hill whose steep slope faces east. If you are interested in landscape features, this also gives you a reference point for Lethkogel’s position within the Koralpe spur.

The 26 m-high Stainzer Warte stands on Lethkogel. It offers an excellent 360-degree panoramic view of Stainz and the surrounding area and can be reached via hiking trails 1 and 571. The two height measurements refer to different things: 608 m is the elevation of Lethkogel, while 26 m is the height of the tower. This clearly distinguishes the elevation of the viewpoint from the height of the tower itself. If you are looking for a specific hiking destination, you can use the tower and the two named trails as your points of reference.

Lethkogel is one of the most important hilltop settlements in western Styria. Archaeological excavations conducted between 2004 and 2006 provided evidence of use during the Early Copper Age, the Late La Tène period and the Early Middle Ages. These three periods are widely separated in time and do not represent an uninterrupted settlement history. Rather, they place the hilltop site within several phases of use. If you are interested in archaeological sites, you can therefore view Lethkogel across a long span of time without combining the individual periods into a single continuous narrative.

The heritage protection information also refers to distinct, named sites. The Pöllikogel/Lethkogel hilltop settlement in Gamsgebirg is protected as a historic monument under a decision pursuant to Section 3. Pletterikapelle is protected as a historic monument under a regulation; the associated entry is dated 23 June 2026. This distinguishes the chapel’s protection status from that of the hilltop settlement, along with the respective legal grounds.

Hiking Trails and Pletterikapelle

On the Stainzer Warterundweg, a longer ascent through the forest leads to Pletterikapelle. A bench there invites you to take a break. This gives you a clear sequence to consider when choosing a route: a longer ascent, a stretch through the forest and the chapel as the destination, with a bench on site. These features help you assess the character of the route in terms of the climb and the opportunity to rest.

The descent along trail 12, also known as Jägersteig, follows a steep path through a natural forest. Unlike the Stainzer Warterundweg, where the longer ascent and the chapel are the main features, the steep descent is what defines this route. When planning your walk, you can weigh up the different trail characteristics: a longer forest ascent with a chapel as the destination, or a steep descent through natural forest.

Discover more destinations: Stainz, Lamberg, Wiel, Sommereben, Aug, Wielfresen, Dörfla, Wettmannstätten

For the overview of the wider area: Deutschlandsberg.