Sankt Georgen ob Murau: Kreischberg, the Mur and Culture

In Sankt Georgen ob Murau, alpine experiences at Kreischberg sit alongside striking landmarks that reflect the town’s history and religious heritage. A 85-metre-long wooden bridge spans the Mur and connects St. Georgen with St. Lorenzen; on the mountain, activities range from skiing to walks through pine forests and across alpine meadows. This lets you tailor your stay to the interests of your travel group rather than planning just one kind of outing.

Kreischberg: Slopes, Forest and Summer Trails

The Kreischberg ski area has a total of 42 kilometres of ski slopes. The stated slope length may change from season to season. A 10-person gondola takes visitors up to an altitude of 2,050 metres; as lift facilities may be modified, it is advisable to check the current lift status before travelling. In summer, the Kreischberg summer lift takes visitors from the valley to an altitude of 1,800 metres in a 10-person gondola. In the summer area, you can enjoy walks across flat alpine meadows and through the pine forest. The different altitude figures refer to the respective gondola and its destination.

The mountain activities also come in different formats. The Kreischberg DiscGolf Park is at an altitude of 1,800 metres and offers nine holes in the pine forest as well as a five-hole introductory course. Tubing takes you about 200 metres downhill in an inflatable tube on one of three secured lanes; a bank at the end slows you down. Tubing is available seasonally. At the Kreischberg speed course, your speed is measured on a steep slope about 100 metres long. A short path leads from the Kreischberg gondola exit to the Dinowald; access may change depending on lift operations.

Local History: Churches and the Mur Bridge

The Holzeuropabrücke connects St. Georgen and St. Lorenzen across the Mur. It is 85 metres long and is still considered Europe’s longest wooden bridge approved for heavy goods traffic. In St. Georgen, the St. Michael chapel in the charnel house also recalls the town’s long history: it dates back to 1653.

The parish church of St. Georgen was consecrated as a Romanesque basilica by Archbishop Albert of Salzburg on 23 August 1188. Its construction probably took about a decade. It was later remodelled in the Gothic period, given Gothic features, laid out with three naves and vaulted. In St. Lorenzen, the Lorenzikirche has a painted wooden ceiling. One of its distinctive furnishings is a wooden confessional dating from 1607, considered the oldest in the Alpine region. It is a simple piece of joinery decorated with pyrography and an inscription.

More Discoveries and Practical Information

The Wood Museum has been located in the Holzbezirk Murau in St. Ruprecht ob Murau since 1988. Covering more than 10,000 square metres of indoor and outdoor space, it provides information about wood as a raw material. Special exhibitions are held annually or every two years. This adds a topic related to craftsmanship and materials to the mountain activities and historic buildings.

For active days, Bike Kreischberg offers rental E-bikes, including bikes for children, as well as trailers for children and dogs. Cycling courses with different focuses are available for children and adults. If you’re planning to visit the 3D Bogenpark Schopfart, you’ll find a course with about 30 lifelike 3D animals. A round takes about 1.5 to 2 hours, equipment can be rented on site, and booking by phone is required. These specific options make it easier to plan your holiday: you can weigh up mountain activities, a course, a puzzle trail or cultural experiences without making every day the same.

The Detective Trail is a stamp-based puzzle game that leads through St. Georgen and St. Lorenzen. At its stations, colourful little houses contain hidden stamps. The St. Georgen am Kreischberg tourist office is opposite the station in St. Lorenzen. When looking for a holiday apartment, you can first decide what you’d like your stay to revolve around—Kreischberg and summer trails, cycling options, or churches and wood history—and then look for accommodation that suits your travel plans.

Discover More Destinations:

Krakaudorf, Sankt Veit In Der Gegend, Predlitz-Turrach, Teufenbach, Ranten, Sankt Peter Am Kammersberg, Schöder, Wildbad Einöd

Back to the main travel overview: Murau.