This pilgrimage route connects three pilgrimage churches in the Tyrolean Oberland region: St. Antonius in Rietz, St. Johannes in Stams and Maria Locherboden in Mötz. From there, you can loop back towards Stams and Rietz by hiking along the Locherboden-Steig trail that leads over the suspension bridge. The various stations between the three churches invite you to relax, admire and enjoy, while providing new insights into nature and culture in the central Upper Inn Valley.
MÖTZ
Walking time from St. Johannes (Stams) to Maria Locherboden (Mötz): about 2 hours
Station 1: ANGERKAPELLE – a wayside shrine that was rebuilt in 1952/53 at the intersection of Gartenweg, Angerweg and Birgeleweg. Items of note: a Mariahilf painting of the Virgin and Child.
Station 2: BIRGELE KREUZKAPELLE – a memorial chapel for the riflemen from the judicial district of Silz who fell or died during the war years from 1799 to 1809. Items of note: Crucifixion Group, murals: Maria and John
Station 3: JECHELE CHAPEL – a large wayside shrine on two levels from 1729.
Station 4: BILDSÄULE – a stone column that dates back to 1757 with a cube-shaped, stone top.
Station 5: LEXN-KAPELLE – a wayside shrine in front of a kindergarten and school building, no inventory.
Station 6: PFARRKIRCHE "MARIA SCHNEE" – Our Lady of the Snows Parish Church. An early baroque country church (1710) with Gothic-style shapes, a 4-bay single-nave construction and arched windows; restored 1872-1880 and 1976.
Station 7: STONE LABYRINTH
Station 8: "MARIA LOCHERBODEN" PILGRIMAGE CHURCH – a neo-Gothic building built in 1896 and inaugurated in 1901. The church interior features paintings on the walls and vaults, as well as other ornamentation created by Toni Kirchmayr in 1915/16.
RIETZ
Walking time from St. Johannes (Stams) to St. Antonius (Rietz): about 2 hours
Station 1: THE PARISH CHURCH – first mentioned in 1369, this parish church is dedicated to Saint Valentine and is home to one of the most beautiful Rococo high altars in the country. The church also contains a crucifix with moving arms, which is one of only approximately 30 such structures in the Alps.
Station 2: SCHIESSEGG – during the 19th century in Rietz, ceremonial gun salutes were common. The so-called "Schießeggele" was the preferred venue for these salutes.
Station 3: KALVARIENBERG "BARGL" – the sacred Kalvarienberg complex in Rietz was created in the mid-18th century and was intended, on the one hand, as a way of asking for heavenly protection against the constant threat of mudslides and, on the other, to bring the Passion of Christ as close as possible to the people.
Station 4: ST. ANTONIUS CHURCH – the first sacred building on the "Mühlegg" was documented in 1661. In 1667, a small church was built below it and then extended in 1684. In 1756, the builder Johann Umhauser redesigned the church in Baroque style and expanded it to its current size. The church is now particularly popular as a wedding venue.
Station 5: KLUIBENSCHEDL-HAUS – built in 1896 and painted by Heinrich Kluibenschedl in 1899.
STAMS
Walking time from St. Antonius (Rietz) to St. Johannes (Stams): about 2 hours
Walking time from Maria Locherboden (Mötz) via the suspension bridge to St. Johannes (Stams): about 1 hour
Station 1: ARKS IN GÖERWALD – over the course of generations, large stone structures have been built in the forest above Haslach to protect against mudslides and now represent an ark complex.
Station 2: MAGNUS CHAPEL – in this chapel dedicated to St Magnus, the "vermin saint" is asked for help in combating field pests.
Station 3: HEXENBÖDELE – the Hexenbödele is a place known from eerie local stories now passed on as legend.
Station 4: FLIEGERRIES – the crash site of an American bomber during World War II.
Station 5: ARCHAEOLOGICAL EXCAVATIONS – during the Roman conquest of the Alps, a Rhaetian settlement stood in this spot on the Glasbergl.
Station 6: ST. ANNA-KAPELLE – a chapel built in 1760 to protect against the danger of mudslides from the Stamserbach stream.
Station 7: STONE LABYRINTH – this stone labyrinth is nestled between oaks in a "place of power".
Station 8: OAK FOREST NATURE TRAIL – learn about local flora on this nature trail through an oak forest.
Station 9: WATER PLAYGROUND AND BIOTOPE – when water flow is normal, the wide riverbed at this point of the Wengebach stream creates an ideal adventure playground for children. A wetland biotope is also located nearby.
Station 10: THE PILGRIMAGE CHURCH OF ST JOHN – a Gothic church redesigned in Baroque style in the 18th century featuring frescoes by Franz Anton Zeiller.