Spiritual roof (Spirituelles Dach) - entire length

Long-distance hiking route. Spirituelles Dach from Kirchberg an der Raab to Unterlamm.Introduction - guidance for the thoughtful encounter with nature and humankind!The places of spiritual contemplation include 7 stops along the Spirituelles Dach on the Trails of the Volcanoes. These points of reflection are located in the municipalities of Kirchberg, Fladnitz, Eichkögl, Markt Hartmannsdorf, Breitenfeld, Hatzendorf and Unterlamm. Selected through reflecting spatial perception and the relationship of the places with each other, these places are characterized by their vitality and beautiful landscape. With its gently curved forms, the meadows, fields, forests as well as the churches and residential areas, the diversity of Vulkanland’s cultural landscape becomes visible. The places are inviting to take a rest. Through their atmosphere they facilitate a contemplative halt, deepening the emotional relationship between individuals and the landscape. Spiritual walking focuses entirely on the contemplative encounter with nature and allows us to have a more conscious and emotional experience. Meditative writings by Christian mystics support us in our awareness and, together with the respective places, promote a deeper understanding of the landscape as well as an intimate look into ourselves. The following text is intended as a guide and can be adapted according to personal preference.Arriving at a stop, we find ourselves a comfortable seat and let our gaze wander aimlessly into the landscape to enjoy its rhythms, shapes and colors. We want to feel the spirit of our surroundings and the invisible life and forces of the place - closing our eyes is helpful for this. We focus on our inner self and breath consciously, inhaling deeply into the center of our body and exhaling back into space, paying attention to our connection with the ground we sit on. The next step is to focus our mindfulness on the heart. With each heartbeat we strengthen the emotional bond with Earth and all its living beings. This way we can send an impulse (a color, a feeling, an intrinsic greeting) from the heart into the landscape and build a contemplative-spiritual feeling within us. If we want to increase our awareness for encounters with the landscape, we focus inwards and pay attention to physical, emotional, or mental reactions without evaluating them. We put our experiences down on paper or share them within the group. This way we collect more and more landscape experiences and become able to recognize the effect of different spatial qualities on ourselves. Through these conscious rituals we strengthen the heartfelt connection with our surroundings and deepen the personal spatial perception of the visible as well as the invisible qualities of the landscape. At the same time, we experience our own personality on a physical, emotional and spiritual level.For the Spiritual Roof an informational brochure is available (German only).

Take a break at one of the many different places to stop and discover the culinary diversity of Styria's Thermal & Volcanic Land!

Timetables and travel information can be found directly at: Austrian Federal Railways (ÖBB), Steiermärkische Landesbahnen (STLB), www.busbahnbim.at.

With the BusBahnBim app from Verbundlinie, timetable information has never been easier: all bus, train and streetcar connections in Austria can be queried by entering locations and/or addresses, stops or important points. The app is available as a free app for smartphones (Android, iOS) - on Google Play and in the App Store.

Spirituelles Dach – Two days
Kirchberg church - 2.5 km - Fladnitz train station - 8.5 km - Eichkögl church - 15 km - Markt Hartmannsdorf - 16 km - Breitenfeld - 11 km - Hatzendorf - 11 km - Unterlamm - 7 km - Hohenbrugg train station

Certified pilgrim accompany along the routes:
Barbara Friedinger, Tel: 0664-780 42 40; Werner Gross, Tel: 0664-40 260 80

Guided hiking tours:
Inquiries to the corresponding municipalities or at the office SPIRIT OF REGIONS - Tours on the Trails of the Volcanoes, Tel.: +43 664 - 96 82 882

Shuttle/Taxi:
Pfeifer Company, Tel.: +43 3115/2593 - Eichkögl, Fladnitz, Kirchberg
Matzer Company, Tel.: +43 3155/8585 - Unterlamm, Hatzendorf
Zehethofer Company, Tel.: +43 664 - 394 50 07 - Breitenfeld, Hatzendorf
Fragollo Company, Tel.: +43 3114/5150 - Markt Hartmannsdorf
Pfeifer Company, Tel.: +43 3387/2310 - Breitenfeld

Public transport connections:
Styrian Eastern Railway: Studenzen/Fladnitz train station | Hatzendorf train station | Hohenbrugg train station

Parking/hiking info:
Parking is available in all locations at the community center and a general information board assists with orientation.

The hike "Spirituelles Dach" runs 64 km from Kirchberg to Unterlamm and is signposted in both directions. For the spiritual roof an informational brochure is available (German only).