Iselsberg-Stronach

Altitude: 1,117 m a.s.l.

Near the Mölltal valley, that's to say on the border to Carinthia, there's the holiday resort Iselsberg-Stronach on the slopes of Mt. Iselsberg. The village is split in two by the Dölsach river: Iselsberg is located on the road to the Iselsberg Pass, opposite lies the component locality Stronach.

Here you can perfectly relax: The 1,209 m high Iselsberg mountain is a well-known excursion destination. Equally interesting are the geological formations of the Stronach Earth Pyramids, remnants of the last Ice Age and a popular photo motif. If you walk on, you reach the wetland biotope Zwischenberger Lacke, a great habitat for rare animal and plant species.

The village features some interesting buildings, such as the well-preserved Walchenstein Ruin from the 12th century. The castle was used by the Counts of Gorizia for safeguarding the borders. Also two sacred buildings are worth a visit: the Guardian Angel Succursal Church - constructed in 1759 by the master bricklayer "Blasl" in Baroque style - and the Lourdes Chapel. The latter hosts a tuff stone grotto with an illustration of Bernadette Soubirous, to who the Virgin Mother appeared at Lourdes. A commemorative plaque reminds on the neighbouring birth house of Franz Defregger.