Seckau Literature Trail

Characteristics

Skill

Fitness

The tour in numbers

Level of difficulty easy

Route 0,4 km

Time 0:30 h

Uphill 5 hm

Downhill 4 hm

Highest point 853 m

This exciting themed trail (part of the "Styrian Literary Paths of the Middle Ages" network) introduces its visitors to the unique Seckau Monthly Rules, a small but fine treasure trove of knowledge that once served to maintain health in a simple yet effective way, at 5 stations along a short circular route in the market town of Seckau.

As with all eight "Styrian Literature Trails of the Middle Ages", outstanding local literature forms the thematic starting and pivotal point of the themed trail, as this literature is given a new voice against the backdrop of its native natural and cultural landscape. The connections around the Seckau Literature Trail are as follows (according to the cross-location trail brochure of the Literature Trail Association):

The "Seckau Monthly Rules" are the oldest of their kind in the German language: they were certainly already well known and popular in the area around Seckau Abbey when they were written down for the Augustinian nuns in the middle of the 13th century; the manuscript is now in Graz. The rules of the month are 12 memorable calendar sayings, health advice from ancient tradition, which guided people through the year in the Middle Ages. Their strength lies in their simplicity, because the focus is not on the euphony of the text, but on the clarity of the instructions. Today, some of these rules may seem strange because we are no longer forced to subordinate our way of life to the seasons. But we feel that it is not good to ignore the natural connection between 'inside and outside'. It can therefore be useful to fall back on the knowledge of our ancestors in the search for well-being: Fasting cures, medicinal herbs and dietary rules have basically never gone out of fashion. Medical practices such as cupping and bloodletting are also experiencing a renaissance. - Don't old farming, lunar and festival calendars still accompany our year?

Best season

January

February

March

April

May

June

July

August

September

October

November

December

More information

Coming via the S36, take the Knittelfeld-Ost exit and drive towards Kobenz. At the end of Kobenz, at the traffic circle, follow the signs to Seckau. Follow the main road in Seckau to the abbey.
At the public visitor parking lot of Seckau Abbey (at the entrance to the village)

The clockwise circular route leads us - starting at the orientation station on the visitor parking lot at the southern entrance to the village - to the left along the garden path (I) until it branches off to the right after approx. 50 m in the direction of Marktgasse (II-III). Turning right again, we reach the last stop at the St. Luzia Chapel (IV).

Avoid time pressure and choose the speed so that no one in the group gets out of breath.

Falls, as a result of slipping or tripping, are the most common cause of accidents! Note that too fast a pace or fatigue will severely affect your surefootedness and concentration.

Backpack with rain cover
Telescopic / hiking poles
Mountain / hiking boots
Gloves: waterproof and warming
Headgear / sunglasses
Outerwear: Onion layer system, T-shirt, sweater, jacket and winter jacket with hood
Hiking pants
Seat pad
Drinking bottle / thermos flask (on cooler days a warming drink is pleasant)
Snack
First aid kit with blister plaster and tick tongs

Other important equipment

Route descriptionDetailed
plan of the hike
Hiking map: For overview a map in scale 1 : 50 000 of the respective region
GPS device
cell phone

The approximately 0.6 km long, wheelchair-accessible trail, which is free of charge, can be ideally combined with a visit to Seckau Abbey and the thematically closely related and similarly laid out Admont Literature Trail (on the subject of 'medicine') - planned as a full-day excursion.

ÖBB www.oebb.at or Verbundlinie Steiermark www.busbahnbim.at

The complete brochure on the project website http://literaturpfade.uni-graz.at is available free of charge in printed form from the Graz Service Center of Styria Tourism (www.steiermark.com). In the Murtal region there are three free hiking maps that show the entire region with the Seetaler Alps, Seckauer-, Wölzer-, Rottenmanner Tauern, Stubalpe and the Pöls- and Murtal. The maps are in scale 1.50.000. Path brochure: https://static.uni-graz.at/fileadmin/Literaturpfade/Projekt/broschuere.pdf.