Kremsbrücke: Churches, Ironworking and the Nockalm Road

Kremsbrücke combines striking reminders of local history with a special starting point for exploring the Nockalm Road. St. Nikolai branch church stands on a hill north of the village; the approximately 34-kilometre road with its 52 hairpin bends also begins here. Churches, ironworking and the landscape around the Nockberge Biosphere Reserve give your stay a range of different focal points. When planning your holiday, you can decide whether you would mainly like to learn about local history or devote more time to the route and hiking trails.

Churches and local festival traditions

St. Nikolai branch church is the oldest church in the municipality. Its exceptionally thick tower walls suggest that it was built as a fortified church—a theory that remains qualified by the cautious wording “suggest.” Maria Trost Church in Kremsbrücke offers a different architectural impression: it is a simple building dating from the first half of the 17th century. Together, the two churches offer different insights into the village’s architectural history.

The festival traditions also show how local history takes shape throughout the year. Corpus Christi Sunday is celebrated as Prangtag in Kremsbrücke. For the occasion, the homeowners Kassmanhuber, Mathehans and Kohlmaier set up three altars; the fourth altar is in the church. Each year, the village community makes the harvest crown and small harvest bouquets for the harvest festival. If you would like to include Prangtag in your travel plans, check the date for your travel year.

Traces of ironworking

The history of ironworking extends beyond Kremsbrücke to Eisentratten. The blast furnace in Kremsbrücke, together with the blast furnace in Eisentratten, was described as the first charcoal-fired blast furnace in Central Europe. Charcoal-fired blast furnaces were built in the area around the two villages in 1541 and 1566, respectively. They are considered the oldest in Austria and possibly in the entire German-speaking region. The dates and the qualified assessment make the region’s industrial past a concrete subject for anyone interested in how the area developed.

The Nockalm Road and the biosphere park

The Nockalm Road begins in Kremsbrücke. Its approximately 34 kilometres and 52 hairpin bends give the route clear, tangible dimensions. There are free exhibitions along the road, as well as well-marked hiking trails through the biosphere reserve. The municipal area of Krems in Carinthia, which includes Kremsbrücke, lies entirely within the Nockberge Biosphere Park. This holiday destination thus brings together a clearly defined road route and a protected landscape, without requiring both experiences to be part of the same trip: you can focus on the drive or on trails through the biosphere reserve. The Nockalm Road operates seasonally, so check current opening times before planning a drive.

More experiences in Innerkrems

The Innerkrems outdoor park is in the Katschberg–Lieser–Maltatal region, near Kremsbrücke. It has two specially designed mountain bike courses with a conveyor lift; bicycles and protective gear can be rented on site. Since rental availability can change, it is a good idea to check before making specific plans. The “Water and Miners’ Trail” in Innerkrems offers another way to explore regional history: it takes children and parents to six mine tunnels that recall the area’s former iron ore mining. A half-day hike from Innerkrems also leads into part of the biosphere park. This makes it possible to plan around different interests: mining history, mountain biking or a hike through the landscape.

Choose the right holiday apartment for your plans

When looking for a holiday apartment in Kremsbrücke, it helps to first decide which experiences you want to shape your stay. Churches and festival traditions offer a different focus from a drive on the Nockalm Road or activities in Innerkrems. This keeps your decision aligned with your specific interests, rather than trying to fit every attraction and activity into a single holiday day.

Discover more destinations

Mörtschach, Techendorf, Egg, Gmünd in Carinthia, Lieserbrücke, Sachsenburg, Malta, Seeboden

Back to the main travel overview: Spittal an der Drau.