Wölkerkogel, Mountain summit in Maria Lankowitz, Austria.
Wölkerkogel is a 1706 m summit on the Stubalm pasture in the Lavanttal Alps, in the cadastral community of Gößnitz, Maria Lankowitz. Its summit area lies in a marble band of the Styrian marginal range, with gneiss and mica schist around it. Instead of a summit cross, a 3 m Madonna of artificial sandstone stands on a 6 m pedestal.
In late 18th-century maps of the Josephinian survey the summit appears as Pernek Kogl; the name Wölkartkogel later became established and is still used. The summit belongs to the Maltese Order, and in 1954 the Catholic Workers' Youth and rural youth of the Voitsberg deanery built the Madonna there, spending about 18,000 hours between May and August and carrying all material up by hand. It was consecrated on 15 August 1954.
The summit is crowned by a three-metre Madonna of artificial sandstone on a six-metre base, made by sculptor Alfred Schlosser in 1954 and consecrated on 15 August that year. Locals call her "Wölkartmirzl" or "Wölkart-Miaz", dialect forms of Maria. Since 1974 Masses are held here on Father's Day, organised by the Catholic Men's Association.
No marked trail leads to the summit, but the short-grass alpine pasture allows an easy climb of about a quarter of an hour. The nearest base is the Alte Almhaus (1649 m) just north of the top; the Salzstiegelhaus (1543 m) lies 4 km to the southwest. Stone benches stand around the statue.
The summit has no summit cross: a three-metre Madonna of artificial sandstone stands on a six-metre pedestal, created by sculptor Alfred Schlosser in the Marian year 1954. A gilded crown by the Seckau goldsmith Brother Berwand required a lightning conductor. Locals call her "Wölkartmirzl".
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