Himmelsberg Straden mit Pfarrkirche

The Straden Church Hill The four churches of Straden have always served to protect the population and to defend against enemy troops. Therefore, Straden is still perceived as a fortress by many visitors. The four churches in Straden (Maria am Himmelsberg, Sebastiani-, Floriani- and Tiefkirche) harbor one or another cultural-historical and art-historical treasure. It is best to take part in a church tour to learn about all the special features surrounding the four churches. Straden is the seat of the oldest parish in the Grabenland. The first pastor mentioned was "Henricus de Merin" in 1188. The current place name is derived from the Stradener Kogel to the east. According to legend, a count vowed to build a church on the Stradener Kogel for a miraculous rescue. He had a picture placed, but it disappeared three times overnight and was found again on the current Stradener Kirchberg. Maria am Himmelsberg The Romanesque church building of the parish church was consecrated to the Mother of God, Mary. After a fire around 1460, it was redesigned in the late Gothic style. From this period, the miraculous statue "Maria Himmelsbergerin" on the high altar has been preserved. The interior decoration dates from the time of Pastor Georg Cedermann (1759-1783). He created a living monument to himself and his name in the Straden cedar. In the last days of the war in 1945, the church (tower height: 57.5 meters, five bells) was severely damaged. The rectory of Straden, structurally connected to the parish church, still appears today as a massive building with beautiful arcades in the inner courtyard. The round tower with a keyhole embrasure on the southwest corner, no longer visible from the outside, served for defense. North and west of the rectory were the farm buildings, which extended over the current church square and formed an enclosed area. Sebastianikirche & Tiefkirche The construction of the double church of Saint Sebastian - Our Lady of Sorrows, located south of the parish church, is likely connected with the founding of the Sebastianibruderschaft (Brotherhood of St. Sebastian) in 1517. The Sebastianikirche (tower height: 26.5 meters) with its lower church is part of the up to ten-meter-high defensive wall. The core of this double church dates from the Middle Ages. During this time, the size of the parish necessitated the construction of a charnel house including an ossuary, which was used until the 17th century. Later, the double church was used for sacred purposes. Florianikirche What was located at the highest point of the hilltop before the construction of the Florianikirche cannot be proven by any written evidence. It was probably a fortification. In popular parlance, the building was called "Buchkirche". According to legend, a knight who was driven here during an enemy siege is said to have vowed to build the church for his fortunate escape. He then plunged unharmed into the depths on horseback. The construction of the choir began in 1644, and that of the nave in 1654, because the parish church offered too little space. The consecration in honor of Saint Florian took place in 1686. The late Baroque interior decoration was completed in 1775. The depiction of the Transfiguration of Jesus on the pulpit, which is said to have taken place on the biblical Mount Tabor, also refers to the defensive character of the place. The tower height of the Florianikirche is 33 meters. Between 1659 and 1800, the cemetery was also located here. Straden's History Due to its special location and with its four churches, Straden attracts visitors from near and far at any time of year, who also like to learn something about the history of the place. Using display boards on the geology and history of the place and along a themed path, one can explore the local history up to the most recent present. Scenes can thus be directly "experienced". Tours on the history of Straden: Dr. Christa Schillinger 03473 8261 201 or ch.schillinger@straden.gv.at Tour through the churches of Straden: Parish Office Straden 03473 8208 or straden@graz-seckau.at

Opening hours & season

• 07.01.2025 – 31.12.2025dailyopen all day