At the Regioneum in the Grottenhof Nature Park Centre, the timeline spans from the ancient sea to today’s cultural landscape. The Bee Education Trail focuses on the lives of bees; Annabründl is a place for prayer and hope. These different themes can help you tailor your trip to your interests: Would you like to trace the history of the landscape, explore a specific nature topic or discover a religious tradition?
Natural History and Bees at Grottenhof
The Regioneum in the Grottenhof Nature Park Centre traces the region’s development in its permanent exhibition, “A Journey Through Time in the South Styrian Nature Park.” It begins with the ancient sea 15 million years ago, continues through the Ice Age and reaches today’s cultural landscape. The shift between geological history and the present day conveys the exhibition’s long timescale. If you are interested in how today’s cultural landscape came about, the focus here is on the development of the entire region.
The Bee Education Trail explores a specific nature topic and is set within the landscape park of the Grottenhof Nature Park Centre. Ten information boards illustrate the lives and importance of bees, as well as the valuable products of the bee colony. This lets you choose between the exhibition’s broad perspective on time and a more focused exploration of bees. The four-hectare landscape park at the Grottenhof Visitor Centre invites you to stroll, enjoy yourself and unwind. It offers a different focus from the two educational attractions: here, the time you spend in the park takes centre stage.
Regional Delights
The Grottenhof Genuss-Shop & Vinothek offers delicacies exclusively from local producers. Its culinary focus is therefore firmly on products from the region. If regional products are important to your trip, this emphasis on local producers adds a distinct culinary dimension to the nature and culture themes.
Annabründl and Religious Tradition
Annabründl is a place where you can pray and find hope. Reports dating back to 1730 say that the water from the healing spring was believed to benefit people with various eye conditions. This is part of the historical tradition and is not medical advice. Unlike the nature education at Grottenhof, the focus here is on prayer and the traditional interpretation of the spring water. This makes it easy to choose according to your interests: whether you would rather explore the landscape and bees or engage with religious tradition.
For decades, the Annabrunn Mass has been celebrated at the Annabrunn Chapel in Kaindorf. If you would like to plan your trip around this occasion, check the latest dates before making arrangements.
Views and Practical Information
The Kreuzkogelwarte near Leibnitz offers impressive panoramic views. As a lookout point, it provides a different landscape experience from the exhibition, the Bee Education Trail and Annabründl. You can therefore choose these places according to what you want your trip to focus on: views of the landscape, exploring nature topics or a religious connection.
The Kaindorf Genussplatz circular route starts at the car park by the Grottenhof Visitor Centre. Kaindorf an der Sulm and Leibnitz are listed as the nearest railway stations for the route. If you are travelling by train, check the timetables separately. This way, you can include the stated starting point and the railway stations in your travel plans without assuming a particular connection or journey time.
Discover more destinations: Municipality of Pistorf, Sernau, Leibnitz, Sankt Nikolai Im Sausal, Sulztal, Berghausen, Sankt Veit Am Vogau, Sankt Andrä-Höch.
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