Graden near Köflach combines the Kern-Buam panoramic trail with a rich architectural history. The village offers a variety of ways to spend your stay: take a hike with specific distance and elevation details, or explore the history of the church and historic buildings.
Hiking with a connection to the Kern Buam
Graden near Köflach is the home of the Kern Buam, regarded as pioneers of Austrian folk music. At Koch im Stein, a memorial stone to the Kern Buam stands along the KERN-BUAM Panorama Hiking Trail. The trail was officially opened on 8 June 2003.
Route A is classified as a moderately difficult hike and covers 10.2 kilometres. The ascent and descent are each listed as 586 metres. Together, the distance and separate elevation figures give a more precise picture of the route than the name “panoramic trail” alone.
Another described route starts at the Graden Katzbachbrücke stop and continues on foot via Jägerwirt to the Oskar Schauer Sattelhaus. Well-marked trails 523 or 544 are available. Check trail conditions before setting out.
Parish church and architectural history
The parish church of St Oswald is a protected historic monument and brings together several building phases. Its Early Gothic presbytery dates from the 13th or 14th century, while the nave dates from the 15th century. The first documentary mention of the church, dedicated to St Oswald, dates from 1400. Graden’s designation as a parish in the Hengistgau around 1220 suggests that a church already existed at that time.
Large-scale wall paintings were uncovered during interior renovations in 1987. The church also has Stations of the Cross painted in the Late Baroque style. Its interior furnishings date from the Baroque period and later eras. Beside the church, the war memorial features a fresco by Prof. Franz Weiß from 1951.
The Platzwirt Chapel in Graden is also a protected historic monument. The farmhouse known as Lenhard, also called the Gradner Ritterhaus, is listed as a protected monument in the register dated 23 June 2026. Its fresco decoration dates from around 1600; the year 1619 appears on the west side. The Gradner Ritterhaus holds a special place in the art landscape of western Styria.
The Platzwirt house was built in 1677 and extended in 1909. These dates give the building a distinct place in the village’s history.
Stop and trailhead
Bus route 726 towards Salla stops at Graden Katzbachbrücke. If you are travelling by bus, check the current timetable before your journey. The described walking routes to the Oskar Schauer Sattelhaus also start at the same stop; the bus and hiking information help you consider the journey and planned trailhead separately.
Discover more destinations: Bärnbach, Söding, Ligistberg, Maria Lankowitz, Modriach, Hirschegg-Piber-Sonnseite, Ligist, Salla
Back to the main travel overview: Voitsberg.
