Around the year 950, a nobleman named Rathold of Aibling climbed to a rocky outcrop rising a hundred meters above the Stallental valley and decided to stay. In this alpine solitude, far from the courts and concerns of his noble birth, he would seek God alone. Other seekers followed, drawn by his holiness, until a small community formed on the mountain. Today, eleven centuries later, Benedictine monks have returned to this dramatic perch after three centuries in the valley below—and pilgrims still climb to pray where Rathold first found peace.
Tyrol's oldest monastery clings to the mountainside, accessible only on foot. The approach crosses the oldest bridge in Tyrol, a wooden covered structure spanning a gorge where the Stallental drops away. Beyond it, the Baroque church of Saints George and James rises from the rock, its golden interior a treasury of devotional art compressed into modest dimensions. Pilgrims come to venerate the Gothic Pietà, to pray before the reliquary of the Holy Blood, and to encounter the silence that Rathold sought a millennium ago.
The Wolfsklamm—a spectacular gorge with waterfalls and wooden walkways—offers another route up, transforming the physical climb into spiritual preparation. By the time pilgrims reach the monastery, the ascent has already become prayer.
📜 History & Spiritual Significance
Rathold, a nobleman from the Rapotonen family, withdrew to this rocky height around 950 to live as a hermit. His reputation for holiness attracted disciples, and in 1138 the community was formally established as a Benedictine abbey. The monastery became a center of spiritual life in the Inn Valley, its height above the world a constant reminder of the monks' aspiration toward heaven.
Pilgrimages began around 1100 and intensified after reports of a "blood miracle" around 1310. According to tradition, consecrated wine transformed visibly into blood, a sign of Christ's real presence in the Eucharist. The reliquary of the Holy Blood became an object of veneration alongside Saint George, patron of the church, and a Gothic Pietà sculpture from about 1415 depicting Mary's grief over her crucified Son.
Fire repeatedly tested the community—the conflagration of 1705 finally prompted the monks to relocate to Fiecht Abbey in the valley below, where they could rebuild more practically. For three centuries, St. Georgenberg remained a pilgrimage site tended from Fiecht while monastic life continued at lower altitude.
Then in 2016, the nine remaining monks made a remarkable decision: to return to the mountain where their community had begun. After careful restoration, they ascended in 2019 to resume monastic life where Rathold had begun it over a thousand years before. The circle closed; the hermit's dream continued.
☩ Pilgrimage Sites in St. Georgenberg
Kloster St. Georgenberg
Benedictine Abbey of Saints George and James
The Baroque church, rebuilt after the 1705 fire and completed in 1735, rises from the rocky promontory with golden interiors that belie its modest size. Rich stucco work, painted ceilings, and gilded altars create an atmosphere of Counter-Reformation splendor compressed into an intimate space. The monastery church hosts daily liturgy sung by the returned Benedictine community.
The Gothic Pietà
This sculpture from about 1415 depicts Mary holding the body of her crucified Son—the Mater Dolorosa contemplating her grief. For six centuries, pilgrims have prayed before this image of maternal sorrow and divine sacrifice, finding in Mary's tears permission for their own.
Reliquary of the Holy Blood
The blood miracle reported around 1310 established St. Georgenberg as a destination for pilgrims seeking encounter with Christ's Passion. The reliquary, displayed for veneration, reminds pilgrims of the Eucharistic mystery that stands at the heart of Catholic faith.
The Oldest Bridge in Tyrol
Before reaching the monastery, pilgrims cross a wooden covered bridge spanning the gorge—the oldest bridge in Tyrol, recently renovated but preserving its medieval character. The crossing marks a threshold between the ordinary world and the sacred mountain.
The Wolfsklamm
This spectacular gorge with its waterfalls and wooden walkways offers the most dramatic approach to the monastery. The 354 steps and narrow passages through the canyon become a physical meditation, the roar of water drowning out all thoughts but prayer.
🕯️ Annual Feast Days & Celebrations
Feast of Saint George — April 23
The patronal feast honors the soldier-martyr whose name the mountain bears. Pilgrims climb to celebrate the saint who gave his life for Christ, his red cross banner flying from the monastery walls.
Feast of Saint James — July 25
As co-patron of the church, James the Greater is honored with special observances. The monastery lies near the pilgrimage route to Santiago de Compostela, connecting this Tyrolean mountain to the great Jacobean tradition.
Corpus Christi
The feast of the Eucharist holds particular significance at a shrine of the Holy Blood. The monks lead processions and special devotions honoring Christ's presence in the Blessed Sacrament.
🛏️ Where to Stay
Gasthof Stans (guesthouse) — Traditional Tyrolean inn at the foot of the Wolfsklamm, offering simple rooms and hearty mountain cuisine. Ideal base for the morning climb.
Hotel Ramsauer ⭐⭐⭐ — Family hotel in Stans with comfortable rooms and views toward the monastery mountain. Reserve this hotel
Fiecht Abbey (pilgrim accommodation) — The valley monastery occasionally offers hospitality to pilgrims; inquire directly with the Benedictine community.
🚗 Getting There
On Foot via Wolfsklamm: The spectacular route through the gorge follows wooden walkways past waterfalls—a pilgrimage that engages body and spirit. The climb takes approximately 1.5 hours from Stans. Entrance fee for gorge maintenance.
On Foot via Forest Path: A gentler route winds through forest from the Stallental valley to the monastery, approximately 1 hour from Stans.
By Car: From Innsbruck, take the A12 toward Brenner, exit at Schwaz and follow signs to Stans (approximately 30 minutes). Parking available at Wolfsklamm entrance. Note: St. Georgenberg itself is accessible only on foot—no road reaches the monastery.
📚 Further Reading
P. Pirmin Ortner. St. Georgenberg-Fiecht: Tausend Jahre Benediktinerleben in Tirol — History of the monastery through a millennium (in German).
🔗 Useful Links
St. Georgenberg Abbey — Official website with Mass times and visitor information.
Wolfsklamm — Information on hiking through the gorge to St. Georgenberg.
Fiecht Abbey — The valley monastery with connections to St. Georgenberg.
🧭 Nearby Pilgrimage Destinations
Maria Waldrast (40 km) — High alpine Servite monastery, one of Europe's highest pilgrimage sites.
Innsbruck (30 km) — Tyrolean capital with the Hofkirche and tomb of Emperor Maximilian I.
Stams Abbey (45 km) — Cistercian monastery with magnificent Baroque church and holy wells.
🪶 Closing Reflection
"As a spiritual oasis, a monastery reminds today's world of the most important, and indeed, in the end, the only decisive thing: that there is an ultimate reason why life is worth living: God and his unfathomable love." — Pope Benedict XVI, Address at Heiligenkreuz Abbey, September 9, 2007
