Discover Feistritz am Wechsel

Feistritz am Wechsel is a destination for travellers who want to combine forest paths, panoramic mountain views and impressive cultural monuments. Well-marked hiking trails lead to the surrounding highlands and offer distant views of the Rax, Schneeberg and Hohe Wand mountains. There are also historic buildings, a family-friendly cycle path and specific ways to plan your stay according to your preferred focus. When searching for a holiday apartment or holiday home, you can therefore consider whether nature experiences, culture or shared cycling tours should be the main focus of your trip.

Forest paths and distant views

The Feistritz am Wechsel forest nature trail is designed as a well-signposted walk through the woods. Information boards, benches, viewing areas and a recreation oasis accompany the route. Parking is available at the village square or directly at the recreation oasis for the journey to the starting point. The oasis is located towards Dorfgraben: drive past the cemetery and turn right uphill at the first bridge. This means the walk can be specifically included in your day planning without equating it with a longer high-altitude hike.

Those seeking broader views can plan to take the marked trails into the surrounding highlands. The possible distant views of the Rax, Schneeberg and Hohe Wand mountains give your stay a distinctly scenic character. This allows you to shape your day according to your interests: a signposted forest walk with resting places or a hike in which the highlands and the views take greater prominence.

Church, castle and historic details

The Catholic parish church of St Ulrich is a steeply rising Gothic fortified church dating from the early 14th century. The medieval fortification wall has been preserved to the north, east and south; to the west, it adjoins the Neo-Gothic portal vestibule. A wall painting from the second half of the 14th century was also uncovered inside the church. Those interested in ecclesiastical architecture and medieval design will find several different details here in a historic building.

Feistritz am Wechsel Castle comprises a green arcaded courtyard, a high-vaulted knights’ hall, a castle chapel, a library, Gothic rooms and a castle park surrounded by woodland. Today, it serves as a conference centre and a venue for music festivals. The statue of Mary Immaculate on a tall Tuscan column, together with the reliefs of Saints Rosalia, Sebastian and Roch, also recalls the religious furnishings of the area. The figure of Saint John of Nepomuk stands directly on the road leading up to the castle; it holds a crucifix and a palm as symbols of victory.

The Baroque Marian column from 1713 stands in the church square and commemorates a plague epidemic. In Dorfgraben, a Neo-Gothic mausoleum was erected in 1892 for Louise Vecseghy, the young lover of Prince Josef Maria Ludwig von Sulkowski who died at a young age. The fortified Thurnhof dates from the same period as the Gothic remodelling of the castle and church in the 15th century. Alongside nature and physical activity, these stops also provide historical context for a stay.

Cycling through the Feistritz Valley

The Feistritztal Cycle Path leads through Feistritz am Wechsel, Kirchberg am Wechsel and Otterthal to Trattenbach. It runs away from the roads on a secured cycle path and, due to its length and elevation differences, is particularly suitable for families with children. When choosing a holiday apartment or holiday home, you can therefore select a location that suits your planned daily activities without assuming any particular accommodation facilities. Those who want to alternate cycling stages with hiking days will find a suitable mix of activity, scenery and culture in Feistritz am Wechsel.

More places for planning your trip

If you would also like to see other destinations, here is a compact selection: Raach am Hochgebirge municipality, Aspang-Markt, Tratten, Wimpassing in the Schwarzatal, Sankt Egyden am Steinfeld, Aspangberg Sankt Peter, Payerbach and Kirchberg am Wechsel.

For the higher-level travel overview: Neunkirchen.