A votive painting in the parish church of St. Marein depicts the plundering of the church by Ottoman raiding parties in 1480. However, it was not painted until the early 18th century. This time gap makes the church a place where a historical event can be distinguished from its later depiction. Cyclists can also consider route descriptions with different starting points and itineraries.
Parish Church: Several Building and Artistic Phases
The Gothic parish church of St. Marein bei Knittelfeld, in the district of St. Marein, was consecrated in 1490. The two lower storeys of the church tower are all that remain of the original Romanesque church. The present-day Gothic church thus also preserves an older part of the building. The Gothic Chapel of St. Anne, built around 1364, marks another early phase of construction. Above the tabernacle is a group of figures depicting St. Anne with the Virgin and Child, dating from 1430.
The furnishings also reveal various historical connections. The church houses a copy of a valuable winged altarpiece dated 1524. It depicts the Virgin Mary on a “Turkish” crescent moon. The votive painting is an oil painting on canvas, measuring 65 × 75 centimetres. This allows both its precise dimensions and the gap between the event depicted, in 1480, and the painting’s creation in the early 18th century to be specified. Stone busts of the patron and master builder can be seen in the northern vestibule of the parish church, known as the Paradise.
If you would like to visit the parish church, you can arrange your visit during office hours at the parish office. Check in advance whether this option is currently available.
St. Martha and Its Wall Paintings
The branch church of St. Martha stands on a hill not far from the parish church of St. Marein and was built in 1466. The choir walls of the small Gothic church feature three large wall paintings. They show scenes from the life of St. Mary Magdalene, as well as depictions from the life of Jesus; the paintings were restored during renovation work. Comparing it with the parish church highlights different features: there, the surviving Romanesque tower storeys, the Chapel of St. Anne and several works of art; here, large-scale wall paintings in a small Gothic church.
Distinguishing Cycling Routes by Starting Point
The Seckau Alps Cycle Route R24 runs from Kraubath on the Murradweg towards St. Martha and St. Marein. A different itinerary is offered by the second section of the “Nimm´s Radl 05 - Seckau-Gaal Runde” circuit: it runs from Seckau via St. Martha and Feistritz to Kobenz, then back to Seckau. The “Tour 74a - MTB - Untere Weinmeisterboden Hütte” mountain bike tour starts at the sports ground in Sankt Marein bei Knittelfeld and leads into the Feistritzgraben.
When comparing the descriptions, the stated starting points and itineraries are a useful guide: Kraubath on the Murradweg is the starting point for the R24, Seckau for the second section of the circuit, and the sports ground in Sankt Marein for the mountain bike tour. Route itineraries can change; check conditions before setting out. This keeps the three options distinct rather than combining them into one tour.
Plan Your Visit and Stay
The churches offer several specific points of interest for a visit: the building history, with its Romanesque and Gothic elements; the dated works of art; and the wall paintings in St. Martha. To plan your visit, you can first decide whether your focus is on the churches and their furnishings or on one of the cycling routes described. If you would like to combine both, check the visiting arrangements and the relevant route information in advance.
Discover more destinations: Spielberg, Bischoffeld, Kleinlobming, Sankt Lorenzen Bei Knittelfeld, Großlobming, Kobenz, Schönberg, Seckau.
Go to the overview of the wider area: Knittelfeld.
