The Catholic Pilgrim's Guide to Gurk, Austria

Around 1036, Margrave William II of Friesach fell to an assassin's blade—struck down by Adalbero of Carinthia, the deposed duke nursing a decade-old vendetta. William's wife Hemma, a noblewoman educated at the Imperial court by Empress Saint Cunigunde herself, had already buried both her sons. The murders left her the wealthiest woman in the region. She could have remarried, rebuilt her dynasty, secured her bloodline. Instead, she gave it all away. Today pilgrims descend into the crypt of the cathedral Hemma's wealth made possible, where one hundred columns support the oldest part of the building and her silver sarcophagus rests beneath the altar. The twin towers of Gurk Cathedral rise sixty meters above the Gurktal valley, visible from great distances, marking the endpoint of an eight-hundred-kilometer pilgrim trail network that stretches across Slovenia and Styria. The faithful have been walking these routes since 1607, crossing the Loibl Pass on the fourth Sunday of Easter to kneel at the tomb of Carinthia's patron saint.

📜 History & Spiritual Significance

Hemma of Gurk was born around 980 to the Peilenstein dynasty in what is now Pilštanj, Slovenia. Her family's connections to the Bavarian Liutpoldings—and thus to Emperor Henry II—secured her a place at the Imperial court in Bamberg, where Empress Cunigunde oversaw her education. She married Count William II of Friesach, a powerful Carinthian margrave, and bore him two sons, Hartwig and William. By all accounts the marriage was happy. It did not last. Both sons died young. Then around 1036, Adalbero of Carinthia murdered her husband—revenge for wrongs suffered during his deposition as duke years earlier. Hemma's response to this cascade of tragedy would shape Carinthian Christianity for a millennium. She founded ten churches throughout the region and in 1043 established the Benedictine double monastery of Gurk Abbey, where she withdrew to live out her final years. She died on June 27, 1045. The abbey Hemma founded did not survive her long. Archbishop Gebhard of Salzburg dissolved it around 1070 to fund the newly established Diocese of Gurk—using Hemma's own endowment to build her cathedral. The same Gebhard founded Admont Abbey in 1074, also using Hemma's wealth. Her body remained at Gurk, and when the Romanesque cathedral reached completion in 1174, her relics were translated to the crypt where they remain today. Devotion to Hemma grew steadily. She was beatified on November 21, 1287, by Pope Honorius IV. But full canonization would wait more than six centuries—Pope Pius XI declared her a saint on January 5, 1938, just weeks before Austria's annexation by Nazi Germany. Pope John Paul II celebrated Mass before 80,000 pilgrims at Gurk on June 25, 1988, marking the fiftieth anniversary of her canonization. Hemma's patronage extends to childbirth, eye diseases, and—remarkably—extreme hangovers. Pregnant women have sought her intercession for centuries, and the faithful continue to venerate her incorrupt body in its baroque silver reliquary.

☩ Pilgrimage Sites in Gurk

Dom zu Gurk

Gurk Cathedral (Cathedral of the Assumption of Mary) Bishop Roman I began construction in 1140, and the cathedral reached completion around 1200, making it Austria's most important Romanesque building. The three-nave, five-and-a-half-bay pillar basilica features a raised two-bay chancel, single-bay transept, and three semicircular apses. The twin towers with their baroque onion domes—added in 1682—dominate the rural valley landscape. The cathedral served as the seat of the Diocese of Gurk until 1787, when the chapter moved to Klagenfurt; it remains a co-cathedral today. Address Domplatz 1, 9342 Gurk GPS 46.875000, 14.293600 Map Google Maps Web dom-zu-gurk.at

Die Krypta

The Crypt The hundred-column crypt is the cathedral's oldest and holiest space, built to receive Hemma's relics in 1174. The forest of slender columns creates a shadowed chamber beneath the raised chancel where pilgrims gather around the saint's tomb. Antonio Corradini's white Carrara marble sculpture depicts Hemma on her deathbed, a masterpiece of baroque naturalism that captures the moment between life and death. The silver sarcophagus beneath the altar holds her remains. Pilgrims crawl beneath the sarcophagus through the Hemmastein, a narrow passage believed to aid fertility.

Hochaltar

The Baroque High Altar Michael Hönel created the massive high altar between 1625 and 1632—sixteen meters high and nine meters wide, it dominates the chancel with seventy-two carved figures and eighty-two angel heads. The gilding was completed in 1654. Beneath the baroque exuberance, the Romanesque altar mensa from around 1200 survives, connecting the current liturgy to the cathedral's earliest worship.

Bischofskapelle

Bishop's Chapel The gallery between the twin towers houses the Bishop's Chapel, whose late Romanesque and early Gothic frescoes (c. 1200-1263) rank among Europe's finest medieval wall paintings. Scenes of Creation, Paradise, and the Heavenly Jerusalem unfold across the walls in vivid color—a visual theology painted for prelates who would have meditated here before descending to celebrate Mass. Access is by guided tour only, departing daily at 1:00 PM.

Fastentuch

The Gurk Lenten Veil Master Konrad painted the Gurk Fastentuch in 1458—a monumental painted cloth that covers the high altar throughout Lent, hiding the sacred mysteries from the faithful during the penitential season. At nearly nine meters square, it depicts ninety-nine scenes from salvation history in a grid of narrative panels. The veil remains in use, veiling and unveiling the altar according to the ancient liturgical rhythm.

Pietà by Raphael Donner

Austria's greatest baroque sculptor created this Pietà in 1741, near the end of his life. The Virgin cradles her dead Son with restrained grief—a masterwork of emotional precision that avoids sentimentality. The sculpture stands in the north aisle, drawing pilgrims who pause before Mary's sorrow on their way to Hemma's crypt.

🕯️ Annual Feast Days & Celebrations

Feast of Saint Hemma — June 27

The principal feast draws pilgrims from across Austria, Slovenia, and Styria. Her actual death date was June 29, but the Church assigned her feast to June 27 to avoid conflict with the Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul. Solemn pontifical Mass fills the cathedral, and the bishop of Gurk-Klagenfurt presides over ceremonies that culminate in veneration of Hemma's relics. The crypt remains open for extended hours as pilgrims file past her sarcophagus and crawl through the Hemmastein.

Hemma-Wallfahrt — Fourth Sunday of Easter

The historical pilgrimage from Slovenia continues a tradition documented since 1607. Pilgrims from Carniola—modern Slovenia—cross the Loibl Pass and walk through the Tscheppa Gorge to reach Gurk on the fourth Sunday after Easter. The route follows ancient paths that connected Hemma's Slovenian birthplace to the monastery she founded. After interruption during the twentieth century's wars, the pilgrimage has revived in recent decades, with growing numbers walking the Hemma Trail each spring.

🛏️ Where to Stay

JUFA Hotel Stift Gurk ⭐⭐⭐⭐ — This exceptional property occupies the baroque monastery buildings directly adjoining the cathedral, where the cathedral chapter once lived. Rooms blend historic atmosphere with modern comfort; the restaurant serves regional cuisine, and the Tulsi Ayurveda Centre offers authentic treatments. Steps from Hemma's tomb, pilgrims can wake to church bells and walk to Mass without leaving the grounds. Website ∙ Reserve this hotel

🚗 Getting There

By Air: Klagenfurt Airport (KLU) lies 45 kilometers south, with connections to major European hubs. Vienna International Airport offers the widest flight selection, approximately 280 kilometers northeast. By Train: The nearest rail stations are in Sankt Veit an der Glan (13 km) and Friesach (12 km). Regional trains connect both towns to Klagenfurt, Villach, and the main Austrian rail network. Local buses run from these stations to Gurk. By Car: From Klagenfurt, take the Friesacher Bundesstraße (B317) north, then follow Gurktalstraße (B93) west into the valley. From Vienna or Graz, exit the A2 at St. Leonhard im Lavanttal and follow signs through the Lavanttal toward Gurk. The cathedral's twin towers are visible from kilometers away.

📚 Further Reading

Books: Vieser, Dolores. Hemma von Gurk — Historical novel bringing the saint's life to vivid narrative, originally published before Austria's annexation and suppressed by the Nazi regime. (German) Till, Josef. Hemmas Welt: Hemma von Gurk, ein Frauenschicksal im Mittelalter — Scholarly biography placing Hemma within the political and ecclesiastical context of medieval Carinthia. (German) Online Resources: Diocese of Gurk — Catholic Encyclopedia article providing historical overview of the diocese, cathedral, and Hemma's role in its foundation. (New Advent)

🔗 Useful Links

Gurk Cathedral — Official cathedral website with visiting hours, guided tour bookings, and liturgical schedule. (German/English) Diocese of Gurk-Klagenfurt — Diocesan website with parish information and pilgrimage resources. (German) Visit Carinthia — Regional tourism portal with practical visitor information and local attractions.

🥾 Pilgrim Routes

Hemma Pilgrimage Trail Network — Eight hundred kilometers of pilgrimage paths converge on Gurk Cathedral in a star-shaped network crossing Slovenia, Styria, and Carinthia. The principal route from Sveta Ana in Slovenia (152 km) follows the historical Carniolan pilgrimage over the Loibl Pass, through the dramatic Tscheppa Gorge, and past Ferlach to Gurk. From Admont in Styria (230 km, 7 stages), pilgrims cross the Lower Tauern at Glattjoch (1,988 m) and walk through St. Lambrecht Abbey, Oberwölz, Murau, and Metnitz before descending to the Gurktal valley. Secondary routes connect Millstatt, Ossiach, and Karnburg—tracing paths between churches Hemma herself founded. The routes have revived in recent decades after twentieth-century interruptions.

🧭 Nearby Pilgrimage Destinations

Maria Saal (20 km) — The "cradle of Carinthian Christianity" where Bishop Modestus established his missionary headquarters in the eighth century. The Gothic pilgrimage church holds a miraculous image of the Virgin, and Carinthian dukes attended Mass here between their secular enthronement ceremonies. Heiligenblut (85 km) — At the foot of the Großglockner, Austria's highest peak, the Gothic pilgrimage church guards a relic of the Holy Blood brought from Constantinople. The dramatic alpine setting and medieval reliquary make this one of Carinthia's most atmospheric pilgrimage sites. Maria Luggau (90 km) — A Servite sanctuary in the Lesachtal valley near the Italian border, where the miraculous Gnadenbild has drawn pilgrims since the sixteenth century. The remote location preserves traditional pilgrimage atmosphere. Mariazell (180 km) — Austria's national Marian shrine, the Magna Mater Austriae, draws pilgrims from across Central Europe to venerate the miraculous wooden statue of Our Lady. The largest pilgrimage destination in the German-speaking world. Admont Abbey (85 km) — The Benedictine abbey founded in 1074 using Hemma's wealth houses the world's largest monastic library, a rococo masterpiece with over 70,000 volumes. Though not primarily a pilgrimage destination, the connection to Hemma makes this a natural complement to Gurk.

🪶 Closing Reflection

"The Church, which looks at Mary with deep love and hope, wants to become like her. Therefore it is the task of all those who work in the Church to point, over and beyond themselves, to Christ."

— Pope John Paul II, Mass at Gurk, June 25, 1988