Ratten lies in the uppermost Feistritz Valley at the foot of the Fischbach Alps and is a former mining village in the Joglland Waldheimat region. Its mining history, a wind farm on the Rattener Alm and local leisure activities offer different possible focuses for your stay.
Mining History in the Show Mine
The Ratten Mining Museum is a show mine in a short section of the tunnel of the “Friedensstollen” (Peace Tunnel), which closed in 1960. It was integrated into the original tunnel entrance. Exhibits include various forms of mine timbering, including Polish-style frame timbering, polygonal timbering and ring support. The exhibition also includes a mine locomotive, a crew car, mine tubs, miners’ tools and equipment, photographs, miners’ lamps and explosives. The show mine thus brings together structural features and mining equipment.
Two historic buildings also add a cultural dimension to the village. Tatzhof, now the Krainer Inn, is the oldest secular building in Ratten. The Rosary Chapel was built in 1664; inside is a Renaissance altar in black and gold. Together, the mining museum and the chapel offer different insights into the village’s history: its former mining industry and sacred art.
Heading Towards the Rattener Alm
If you would like to include a hike in your travel plans, the Hauereck–Steinriegel loop offers a specific route. It follows the Montan and Moon Trail from Ratten up to the high-alpine wind farm. The Steinriegel Wind Farm on the Rattener Alm consists of 21 wind turbines. Check the route details before setting out so you can plan around the route described without assuming a particular walking time or level of difficulty.
The hiking route and the wind farm connect two of Ratten’s defining themes: its mining history and the alpine landscape. The village also offers other activities that are not tied to this route. The natural leisure lake owned by the Albert family is a ten-minute walk from the village centre. The mini-golf course, run by the Ratten Mini Golf Club, is in the centre. The RatzFatz Adventure Arena is an indoor play area for children.
Combine Local History and Leisure
Depending on your interests, you can focus on the show mine, the Rosary Chapel or the loop up to the wind farm. The lake and mini golf are other named leisure activities, while the indoor play area offers a separate option for children. These choices present different themes side by side without combining them into a fixed itinerary. During Advent, life-size wooden figures of the parish’s patron saint, St Nicholas, guide visitors to local businesses.
Find Hotels in Ratten
If you are looking for a hotel in Ratten, your planned focus can be a starting point: are you most interested in the mining history, the hiking route to the wind farm, or a mix of these with the village’s leisure activities? The options range from the show mine and chapel to the alpine route, lake, mini golf and indoor play area. Decide which aspects of Ratten matter for your stay, then choose accommodation to suit your personal needs.
Discover more destinations: Hohenau An Der Raab, Pircha, Sankt Kathrein Am Hauenstein, Breitenau, Fischbach, Plenzengreith, Gschaid bei Birkfeld, Reichendorf.
Go to the main travel overview: Weiz.
