Pfarrkirche St. Marein

The late Gothic, two-aisled hall church is one of the most significant sacred buildings in Styria. In 1140, an Augustinian canonry was founded here, near an already existing Mary church. Just three years later, in 1143, the canonry moved to the quiet plateau, not visible from the Murtal – to present-day Seckau.

In gratitude and to commemorate the founding of this original canonry on Mareiner soil, the impressive church we see today was constructed between 1437 and 1448 under the Seckau provost Andreas Ennsthaler and the Admont master builder Niklas Velbacher.

In 1480, it was heavily devastated during a Turkish incursion, but was rebuilt under Provost Johannes Dürnberger and was again consecrated in 1490. The church space impresses with its light-filled atmosphere, featuring ornate tracery windows, rich architectural plasticity, and unique, symbolically significant decorative paintings in the vault fields. A particular highlight is a monumental wall fresco (3.5 × 7.9 m) discovered during the last interior restoration in 2000, depicting the crowning of the Virgin Mary by the Trinity.

Also particularly noteworthy are the richly decorated figure embellishments, the sensitively Baroque high altar (1703) adapted to the Gothic choir closure, and the church's most valuable art historical piece: a late Gothic wing altar from 1524.

The church attracts numerous art and culture enthusiasts every year. Guided tours are available by prior arrangement or consultation with the parish office.