Vierbergelauf

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Magdalensberg (1058m/3471ft), Ulrichsberg (1015m/3330ft), Veitsberg (1160m/3806ft), Lorenziberg (971m/3186ft)

The 'walk across four mountains', an annual pilgrimage, starts traditionally at midnight of the 'Dreinagelfreitag' ('Three-Nails-Friday', the second Friday after Easter) on top of the Magdalensberg (previously also known as Helenenberg) and leads over the Ulrichsberg and the Veitsberg (a side peak of the Gößeberg 1171m/3842ft) to the Lorenziberg (a foothill of the Gauerstall 1129m/3704ft), where one should arrive before 17:00, in order to be granted the remission of one's sins (as the legend has it) - 17 hours, about 45 km, some 2000 meters ascent.

Announcement: Next year's Vierbergelauf will take place on April 24, 2009, the date in 2010 is April 16.

Worth knowing about the Vierbergelauf

More information:

• Cross bearers and prayer leaders guide the way.
• There are little children standing by the roads. The wanderers bring along sweets for them.
• The "Körnertausch" (exchange of corn - pilgrims bring along some corn and exchange it by hallowed corn which shall improve the seeds and grant better harvest) takes place in the churches and church ruins on the way.
• Some pilgrims bring along laundry in their backpacks. This should also help with salvation.
• if you take part three times in a row, all your sins will be forgiven.

Individual route description

I take part in the Vierbergelauf with a varying group. We travel on Thursday to Silberegg, taking a short break at the brewery inn in Hirt. After arriving at approx. 18:00 at the Maiers, Barbara provides us with smoked sausages.

In time before midnight we arrive on bus from Silberegg at the Magdalensberg. We walk the short distance from the parking lot to the top where the pilgrims gather around the church. Here we meet the friends from Silberegg who came here on foot - an additional 20 km for them.

The actual pilgrimage starts after a service held at midnight. Traditionally, our Carinthian friends enter the church after all the others have left after the mass, form a choir and sing before starting their walk. We Lower Austrians listen and then join the group.

One member of Helmut's choir, Ingrid, invites for breakfast in Pörtschach am Berg around 04:00 - she doesn't take part any more and denotes this invitation as her contribution to the Vierbergelauf. Helmut's guests are welcome, too - we are very pleased about that. We usually reach the service in Pörtschach am Berg only near the end…

Now we climb the Ulrichsberg. At the break of the day around 06:00 we reach the memorial site on top.

After the descent from the Ulrichsberg there is a field mass celebrated by the bishop in Karnberg at 07:00.

From Karnberg we walk across the Glantal to Zweikirchen, where already at 08:00 the fourth service is held after the kissing of the crosses, and.on to St. Leonhard, where we encounter rolls with liver loaf from Hermine Wech and Hirter Bier.

The complete way is lined with refreshment stations put up by local farmers or professionals. At some of these stations, such as the one after the following ascent up the Kulm, our Carinthian friends stop over to sing.

The way now leads to Liemberg, where the last mass of this pilgrimage is celebrated. After passing by the castle - Carinthian songs again - we continue in the late morning up the Veitsberg, crossing the notorious bloody meadow (so called because the hiker walks in the heat of high noon – it is no meadow any more, but overgrown by busches which shade the hikers). One has to walk round the chapel on top and ring the bell - then a secret wish will be granted.

The rest of the way leads on through the steep "hell" to Gradenegg (there is an alternative route up by), where a prayer meeting is held, to Sörg (here the last devotions take place) and up the Lorenziberg, where one has to arrive in time before the final benediction (around 16:45) - in this case the pilgrimage was successful.

4. April 2008

From Lower Austria Didi Engel with Isabella, brother Sepp, parents Helene and Sepp as well as Chipsy and me participated. The traditional itinerary lead by Hirt to Silberegg, where the Maiers offered the established smoked sausages - THANK YOU!

For the first time the hike was gauged with a GPS device. The spread 52 or 54 km shaped up as 45 km, the ascent summed up to almost exactly 2000 m. The classical route from the top of the Magdalensberge to the chapel on the Lorenziberg (as described above) was measured.

April 8, 2005

Only a small group from Tulln and Staasdorf: Mother Helene, father Sepp and I. As usual we traveled to Silberegg to the Maiers, where we were well provided for both before the hike and afterwards - THANK YOU!

Extensive photographic report

April 23, 2004

Again a couple of Lower Austrians traveled to Carinthia in order to proceed with our tradition of participating in the Vierbergelauf. Our group consisted of: Heidi and Paul Gössl, uncle Franky, my mother Helene and father Sepp, Martina and brother Seppi, Liesi and Chipsy. As always, the Maiers were a large group, including Angelika again. 

This year, as always, we were welcomed heartily by the Maiers. We were again well provided for both before the hike and afterwards - THANK YOU!

Extensive photographic report

May 2, 2003

April 12, 2002

Once again a couple of Lower Austrians traveled to Carinthia in order to proceed with our tradition of participating in the Vierbergelauf. Our group consisted of: Heidi and Paul Gössl - just like 5 years ago, see below, uncle Franky, uncle Joschi and Brigitte (they traveled separately by train), and Chipsy with Liesi - these two met us at the morning mass after traveling the whole night through.  This year, as always, we were welcomed heartily by the Maiers. We were again well provided for both before the hike and afterwards - THANK YOU! Unfortunately the weather was not that good this time (it was raining almost all day - except when we were on top of the mountains, where it was snowing), nevertheless the Vierbergelauf was a special experience again.

April 27, 2001

Our group this year consisted of: Helmuth (member of the Männerdoppelsextett Klagenfurt), Christoph and Gerhard Maier, father Sepp, the uncles Joschi and Franky (Winzerhof Mayer), Markus Rössler aka Chipsy and I.

Extensive report

May 5, 2000

After a break for 2 years (that's for me - the others were more diligent) I participated again. Our group consisted of Helmuth, Christoph und Elisabeth Maier from Carinthia and Doppler Seppi, Chipsy and me from Lower Austria.

April 11, 1997

My first contact with this traditional pilgrimage. Doppler Seppi had put up the contact to Helmuth Maier - the had been mountain climbing together. Father Sepp, Heidi and Paul Gössl, Chipsy and me came from Lower Austria to walk the 4 mountains. On this picture you can see Helmuth and Paul in the foreground. I am just walking beside the pylon, hardly recognizable.

Books at Amazon.de

Vom Weg über die heiligen Berge. Anton Wieser u.a.

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