Discover Kreuzen: Hundskirche, Stations of the Cross and Places of Remembrance

Kreuzen surprises visitors with a combination of striking scenery, religious architecture and places of remembrance. Particularly impressive is Hundskirche, also known locally as the Altar: it is an upright, triangular dolomite rock in the gorge between Kreuzen and the village of Boden. Those wishing to combine a trip featuring special natural landmarks with cultural discoveries will find a place with a character all of its own here.

Rock Formation and Stations of the Cross to St. John’s Chapel

At Kreuzen Castle, a Stations of the Cross with a total of 14 brick-built stations leads from the road to the Chapel of St. John. The number of stations also makes the route easy to factor into your travel plans: you can consciously take time for each station and make the visit a cultural part of your day. The Stations of the Cross at St. John’s Chapel were probably created at the same time as the chapel was built in 1716. This connection between the path, the chapel and the history passed down through the generations gives the site particular depth.

Kreuzen Castle at Kreuzen 32 is a listed monument. The Catholic parish church of St. Vitus and St. Leonhard, as well as the cemetery in Kreuzen, are also listed monuments. Visitors interested in religious architecture, historic places and the development of a village will find several different themes here: the striking rock formation, the Stations of the Cross, the castle and the religious centre.

Places of Remembrance in the Villagescape

Among the visible places of remembrance is the Kreuzen War Memorial at the northern corner of the cemetery. The Anton Koperek Memorial was ceremonially inaugurated in front of the church on 19 June 2022. It commemorates former parish priest Anton Koperek, who strongly supported Polish forced labourers and young people. Anton Koperek served as parish priest in Kreuzen for just under four years during the Nazi regime. The memorial thus provides access to a specific chapter of the village’s history and complements the older cultural monuments with a more recent form of remembrance.

The church linden tree “In der Eben” stands in the church square in front of the former elementary school. The imposing linden tree is probably at least 200 years old. Another feature of the villagescape is the village fountain in Kreuzen, which was created in 1972. Such individual details make the walk varied: alongside protected buildings and memorials, an old tree and a fountain emerge as distinctive points of interest.

Which Accommodation Suits Your Travel Plans?

When looking for a holiday apartment in Kreuzen, you can first consider what you want your trip to focus on. If you would like to learn more about historic places and religious architecture, Kreuzen Castle, the Stations of the Cross, St. John’s Chapel, the parish church and the monuments offer several specific points of interest. Hundskirche provides a natural contrast. Families can divide the trip into different stages, combining nature observation, local history and shared discoveries without limiting their stay to just one attraction.

Further Destinations for Orientation

If you would like to extend your search beyond Kreuzen, you can also explore these places: Sankt Jakob Im Rosental, Töplitsch, Landskron, Laastadt, Nötsch Im Gailtal, Zlan, Drobollach Am Faakersee and Oberfederaun.

For the higher-level travel overview: Villach.