Heiliger Berg Karmel, Bärnbach

Heiliger Berg Karmel in Bärnbach is a Carmelite convent located at 539 meters (1,768 feet) elevation where the Gradnerbach and Kainach rivers meet in the Köflach-Voitsberger basin. The site features four stone Passion chapels distributed around the hilltop and monastery buildings that house artifacts from prehistoric periods.

The mountain was inhabited from Urnfield period times onward, with evidence of settlement continuing through the Hallstatt era and into Roman times. A monastery was established later to transform the sacred site into a formal place of pilgrimage and worship.

The hilltop complex with its four chapels creates a walking path where visitors experience the Passion story through chapel stops. The wooden sculptures at each station show emotional scenes that continue to shape local religious practice today.

The site is accessible on foot with a walking path that passes each chapel on the way up the hill. Allow time to visit the monastery buildings and examine the displayed prehistoric artifacts to fully experience the location.

A wayside chapel contains an embedded Roman inscription stone from the 2nd century that marks the mountain's ancient use. Beside it stand wooden sculptures of weeping women depicting an emotional scene at a tomb.

Location: Bärnbach

Address: Heiliger Berg 2

GPS coordinates: 47.06475,15.12369

Latest update: December 9, 2025 20:20