Page 274 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Austria

272  A USTRIA REGION B Y REGION

4 Maria Saal
Road map E5. * 3,800. £ @
n Am Platzl 7, (04223) 2214.
∑ mariasaal.at
The first church was erected at
Maria Saal in the 8th century,
and a secondary Christianization
was conducted from here,
which is why it became known
as the cradle of Carinthia.
The pilgrimage church, built in
1430–56, has a stone statue
of the Virgin Mary in the high
altar from 1420. On the outer
walls of the church are two
remarkable Roman reliefs, one
depicting the cart of Death, the
Late-15th-century fresco in the abbey church, St Paul im Lavanttal other showing Achilles pulling
the body of Hector behind the
1 St Paul im Klagenfurt. It grew up around chariot. The relief on the south
Lavanttal the bridge across the Drau and wall, showing the Coronation
the 12th­century church of of the Virgin Mary, is the work
Road map E5. * 3,400. £ @ St Rupert, whose Romanesque of Hans Valkenauer.
n Platz St Blasien 1, (04357) 201722. tower still rises above the town. Opposite the church is a late­
∑ sanktpaul.at The Kirche St Magdalena Gothic octagonal mortuary and
(church of Mary Magdalene), the cemetery chapel. It has
On the banks of the Lavant built in 1240 and altered in the beautiful 15th­century vault
river stands one of the largest 15th century, has a lovely late­ frescoes with the family tree of
churches in Austria, the Romanesque west portal. Jesus, as well as a late­Gothic
Benedictine Abbey of St Paul. Its interior is late­Gothic, with altar with scenes from the life of
Within the abbey complex is a some earlier features, such as the St Mary and an altar of St George
well­preserved Romanesque 14th­century frescoes next to slaying the dragon. The Sachsen­
church. The apse is decorated the entrance. In one of the side Kapelle (Saxon Chapel) is devoted
with reliefs showing the Adoration chapels and in the presbytery, to St Modestus, who founded
of the Magi and the enthroned remains of late­Gothic frescoes the church and whose tomb­
Christ. Gothic frescoes behind can be seen. stone has survived to this day.
the main altar depict the abbey In Völkermarkt’s Hauptplatz Archaeological excavations
founders and various saints. stands a former ducal palace, near Maria Saal, at the site of the
The abbey museum houses now the seat of the local Roman town of Virunum, the
magnificent works of art, includ­ authorities, and an arcaded capital of Noricum, have yielded
ing early chasubles, an 11th­ late­Gothic town hall. relics including the Bronze­Age
century cross­shaped reliq uary carved stone throne of the
that once belonged to Queen princes of Carinthia (see p42).
Adelaide, an art collect ion with
paintings by Peter Paul Rubens
and Martin Johann Schmidt, 5 Burg
and superb woodcuts by Hochosterwitz
Albrecht Dürer and Rembrandt.
Road map E5. Tel (04213) 34597.
R Benedictine Abbey of St Paul Open May–Sep: 9am–6pm;
Hauptstrasse 1. Tel (04357) 2019­10. Apr, Oct: 10am–5pm. & 8
∑ burg-hochosterwitz.com
Open May–Oct: 10am–5pm daily.
8 = h The fortress of Hochosterwitz, a
symbol of Carinthia, perches on
2 Völkermarkt a rock 160 m (525 ft) high and is
clearly visible from afar. Although
Road map E5. * 11,000. @ the origins of the castle can be
n Hauptplatz 1, (04232) 257147. The Romanesque portal of Kirche traced back to Roman times, it
St Magdalena in Völkermarkt was built in the 16th century
This town lies on the banks of a by Domenico dell’Allio.
reservoir created by damming 3 Klagenfurt The present fortress is the
the Drau river, 25 km (16 miles) result of Renaissance remod­
east of the Carinthian capital See pp274–7. elling of earlier Romanesque
For hotels and restaurants in this region see p299 and p325

272-273_EW_Austria.indd 272 12/09/17 2:46 pm