Page 274 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide 2016 - Austria

272  A USTRIA REGION b y REGION

4 Maria Saal
Road map E5. * 3,800. @ £
n Am Platzl 7 (04223) 2214.
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
other showing Achilles pulling
Late 15th-century fresco in the abbey church, St Paul im Lavanttal the body of Hector behind the
chariot. The relief on the south
1 St Paul im Klagenfurt. It grew up around wall, showing the Coronation
Lavanttal the bridge across the Drau and of the Virgin Mary, is the work
the 12th­century church of of Hans Valkenauer.
Road map E5. * 3,400. @ £ St Rupert, whose Romanesque Opposite the church is a
n Platz St Blasien 1 (04357) 201722. tower still rises above the town. late­Gothic octagonal mortuary
The Kirche St Magdalena and the cemetery chapel. It has
On the banks of the Lavant (church of Mary Magdalene), beautiful 15th­century vault
river stands one of the largest built in 1240 and altered in the frescoes with the family tree
churches in Austria, the 15th century, has a lovely late­ of Jesus, as well as a late­Gothic
Benedictine Abbey of St Paul. Romanesque west portal. altar with scenes from the life
Within the abbey complex Its interior is late­Gothic, with of St Mary and an altar of
is a well­preserved Romanesque some earlier features, such as the St George slaying the dragon.
church. The apse is decorated 14th­century frescoes next to The Sachsen­Kapelle (Saxon
with reliefs showing the Adoration the entrance. In one of the side Chapel) is devoted to St Modestus,
of the Magi and the enthroned chapels and in the presbytery, who founded the church and
Christ. Frescoes behind the details of late­Gothic frescoes whose tombstone has survived
main altar depict the founders can be seen. to this day.
of the abbey and various saints. In Völkermarkt’s Hauptplatz Archaeological excavations
The abbey museum also stands a former ducal palace, near Maria Saal, at the site of the
houses many magnificent works now the seat of the local Roman town of Virunum, the
of art, including early chasubles, authorities, and an arcaded capital of Noricum, have yielded
an 11th­century cross­shape late­Gothic town hall. relics including the Bronze­Age
reliquary that once belonged carved stone throne of the
to Queen Adelaide, and an art Princes of Carinthia (see p42).
collection with paintings by
Peter Paul Rubens and Martin
Johann Schmidt, and superb 5 Hochosterwitz
woodcuts by Albrecht Dürer Road map E5. Tel (04213) 34597.
and Rembrandt. Open Apr, Oct: 10am–5pm;
May–Sep: 9am–6pm. & 8
R Benedictine Abbey of St Paul ∑ burg-hochosterwitz.com
Hauptstrasse 1. Tel (04357) 2019­10.
Open May–Oct: 10am–5pm daily. The fortress of Hochosterwitz,
8 = h one of the symbols of Carinthia,
perches on a rock 160 m (525 ft)
2 Völkermarkt high and is clearly visible from
afar. Although the origins of
Road map E5. * 11,000. @ the castle can be traced back
n Hauptplatz 1 (04232) 257147. The Romanesque portal of Kirche to Roman times, it was built
St Magdalena in Völkermarkt in the 16th century by
This town lies on the banks of a 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

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