Murtal region

Tremmelberg: a small mountain with a big impact

It's autumn in the Styrian Murtal: view from the "tower in the mountains" on the Tremmelberg towards the Gleinalpe.

(Bild: Silvia Sarcletti)

It doesn't always have to be the high peaks that give us deep insights. Good things are often so close - like the Tremmelberg in the Murtal region.

A small mountain with a high tower that has a lot to see: Wisps of mist lie over the largest inner-alpine basin in Styria. Hidden below is part of the Murtal district with the tourist region of the same name and the towns of Knittelfeld, Judenburg, Spielberg and Zeltweg. Above the fog, the softly shaped low mountain landscape of the Glein- and Stubalpe can be seen in the orange-golden morning light.

This mountain range, which is not quite 2000 m high, connects Upper Styria with the greater Graz area and Eastern, Southern and Western Styria. Looking to the west, the Seetal Alps present themselves with the 2396 m high Zirbitzkogel and the Helmut-Erd-Schutzhaus just below. The well-known "Zirbitzkogel-Schutzhaus" is the second highest mountain hut in Styria. Further clockwise, the Wölzer and Rottenmanner Tauern mountains rise up in the distance.

If we now look to the north, one of the loneliest Styrian mountain regions opens up to us - the Seckauer Tauern, which exude a special charm with their broad and elongated ridges and peaks that cumulate at over 2,400 meters. We can see all of this from here, the "tower in the mountains" on the Tremmelberg, and now at the latest we feel a great desire to get to know the mountains of the Mur Valley.

SMALL MOUNTAIN& HIGH TOWER & MOTORSPORT
A small mountain with a high tower in a motorsport region: there was already a radio tower on the Tremmelberg in the 1950s. At the same time, in 1957, the first motorsport race was held on the airfield in Zeltweg. In 1969, the Österreichring was built, which hosted the Austrian Grand Prix for many years. After reconstruction work and with the new name "A1-Ring", Formula 1 races were held again.

At this time, in 1999, the 42-metre-high "Tower in the Mountains" was erected as part of a national exhibition. For this imposing wooden structure, which consists of two towers and a connecting platform, 128 cubic meters of prefabricated concrete and 300 cubic meters of larch wood were used. Today - 25 years later - the tower is still a popular excursion destination, providing a visual and acoustic link to one of the most beautiful and modern racetracks in Europe.

INFO

The basilica of the Benedictine abbey in Seckau is known as the "cathedral in the mountains". With an integrated grammar school, the permanent exhibition "World of the Monks", the monastery's own businesses and the distillery, the abbey is known far beyond the borders of Styria.

Information: www.abtei-seckau.at and about the Murtal region: www.murtal.at

• General information about Styria Tourism: www.steiermark.com

Benedictine abbey in Seckau

(Bild: Silvia Sarcletti)

THE SPIRITUAL REFERENCE
The name "Tower in the Mountains" is no coincidence, as the twin towers were modeled on the basilica in Seckau, which is known as the "Cathedral in the Mountains". With the newly opened "Pilgrim's Path from the Cathedral to the Tower", the 4.4 km and 380 m ascent (approx. 1.5 hours walking time) from Seckau to the Tremmelberg can be covered on foot. The artistically refreshed wayside shrines, the informative information boards, the attractive rest area with the "Viewing heart of Seckau" and the 300-year-old Calvary Church "Zum Heiligen Kreuz" invite you to pause and enjoy nature.

This resting place with a view of Seckau is a welcome waypoint along the "From the Cathedral to the Tower" pilgrimage trail.

(Bild: Silvia Sarcletti)

The "Tower in the Mountains" can be accessed via a turnstile (2 euro coin!) and leads up 200 steps to an impressive vantage point. The tower is also a meeting place for hikers, Nordic walkers, runners, pilgrims and long-distance hikers. The longest Austrian long-distance hiking trail, the Zentralalpenweg 02 from Hainburg to Feldkirch, leads over the Tremmelberg, as does the international long-distance hiking trail Via Alpina and the Benediktweg, which follows in the footsteps of St. Benedict from Spital am Pyhrn to Slovenia.

Pilgrim and hiking trails lead via the Calvary Church "Zum Hl. Kreuz" to the "Turm im Gebirge".

(Bild: Silvia Sarcletti)

Tower in the mountains

(Bild: Silvia Sarcletti)

Conclusion: A small mountain with a high tower that offers a far-reaching view of the surroundings and insight into oneself - as is so often the case, it's a question of perspective!