Kranichberg: Churches, Chapel and Local History

When choosing Kranichberg as a place to stay, you can consider two distinct aspects: the history of its churches and architecture, and the regional bus connection. The historical perspective ranges from a Romanesque church that once served as a “fortified house” to the Kranichberg family’s landholdings in the upper Feistritz Valley and large areas of the Wechsel region. For your planning, you can treat this local history and the regional bus route 1738 as separate aspects; the route connects Gloggnitz, Kranichberg and Kirchberg am Wechsel.

Churches and Architectural History

The Romanesque Church of St. Philip in Kranichberg was originally a “fortified house” and the seat of the Lords of “Sirnikke.” The term describes its original function as a fortified building; together with its role as the lords’ seat, it indicates a historical connection to local rule. The Romanesque classification and the building’s former function answer different questions about the church: one classifies the building by style, while the other describes its role in the history of the town.

The patron saints of Kranichberg parish church are St. Philip and St. Christopher (1784). The main portal of St. Philip’s Church is on the west side. The dedication and the portal’s orientation offer different ways of understanding sacred architecture: one names the patron saints, while the other describes the orientation of a specific building feature.

The St. Ursula Chapel

The small St. Ursula Chapel is located in the keep of Kranichberg Castle. Its nave is transversely rectangular; the apse projects beyond the tower wall. Its location and architectural form combine to create a specific architectural picture: the first detail places the chapel in the keep, while the others describe its shape and the relationship between the apse and the tower wall.

The interior includes a remarkable sacrament house dated 1459. A sacrament house is a liturgical furnishing; the year 1459 refers to this object. This dated detail complements the information about the nave and apse, which describes the chapel’s architectural form.

Historical Region and Landscape

The Kranichberg family’s landholdings in Kranichberg included, among other areas, the upper Feistritz Valley and large parts of the Wechsel region. This regional historical context has a different focus from the information about individual churches and chapels: it concerns the extent of the historical landholdings rather than the design of a specific building.

A 2017 ORF report describes the Kranichberg Castle complex as being surrounded by meadows and forest. This is a different scale from the extent of the landholdings: the landscape description refers to the castle complex, while the historical landholding extended over larger areas. A description of the surrounding landscape and a broader historical context thus sit side by side.

Plan Your Trip by Bus

Regional bus route 1738 connects Gloggnitz, Kranichberg and Kirchberg am Wechsel. If you would like to use this connection for your onward or return journey, check the timetable for your travel date and confirm the details for your specific trip. This will help you include the connection in your plans and take the current travel times to the places mentioned into account.

Discover more destinations: Puchberg Am Schneeberg, Kirchberg Am Wechsel, Neuwald, Prigglitz, Zöbern, Sankt Corona Am Wechsel, Mönichkirchen, Payerbach.

Return to the overview of the wider region: Neunkirchen.