Church of St. Johann and Paul

The Church of St. Johann and Paul is a charming Roman Catholic mountain church located in the 15th district of Graz, specifically in Wetzelsdorf.The chapel is owned by the City of Graz and is under the authority of the Graz-West deanery of the Graz City Church, serving as the chapel for the parish of Graz-Christkönig.

The small church is situated at an elevation of 563 meters above sea level.The high hilltop of the Devonian Dolomites is located 200 meters above the district of Krottendorf.The elevation signifies the presence of a northern foothill known as the Buchkogel.The Alt-Grottenhof is located at the southeast foot and is used for agriculture and forestry. On the western side of the church, you will find the Feliferhof-Kessel, which includes a large fenced-in shooting range used by the army.There is an inn located just below the knoll, which can be accessed from three different directions – hiking trails and a local road.

The church complex is situated on an artificial structure that does not have a floor plan directly connected to the church.According to oral tradition, there used to be a castle on the hilltop where the little church now stands.Evidence of this can be seen in the masonry beneath the church and the continued use of the toponym Spielberg (derived from “spieken,” meaning “to look”), which refers to the mountain ridge extending to the east.

The church is situated on a ridge above Wetzelsdorf, with a beautiful forest surrounding it.The first mention of a pilgrimage church called St. Johann am Kögelein was in 1507. This church was dedicated to John the Baptist.The church was constructed in the late Renaissance style.Between 1589 and 1594, a new building was constructed through the generous donation of Archduchess Maria Anna of Bavaria, who was the wife of Archduke Karl II. This expansion project resulted in the enlargement of the existing structure.Additionally, there was a shift in patronage.Pietro Valnegro, who succeeded the court architect Giovanni Pietro de Pomis, oversaw the construction work. This work involved adding a bulge to the originally flat nave.

The Church of St. Johann and Paul was owned by the Admont Abbey until 1996. The high altar of the church also features the coat of arms of the Admont Abbey.The church building was damaged by a lightning strike in 1895.The restoration took place in 1896.Since 1996, the municipality of Graz has been under the ownership of the church. During the same period, the municipality also acquired the Buchkogel grounds from Admont Abbey.

The high altar features an illustration depicting the two Roman brothers, John and Paul, who were martyrs and church patrons. They were tragically beheaded by the Roman Emperor Julian.On the left side altar, you can find a protective cloak Madonna alongside a representation of Archduchess Maria.The ceiling frescoes in Admont were created by Bartolomeo Altomonte, a renowned baroque painter.The artwork depicts the Christian virtues of faith, hope, and love, along with scenes from the lives of the two church patrons, John and Paul.The apotheosis of the saint is located in the center.

In 2004, employees of the Universalmuseum Joanneum made an exciting discovery when they uncovered settlement remains from the Neolithic period, also known as the New Stone Age.These finds represent the oldest houses in Styria.The objects were estimated to have originated around 3500 BC.Once the remains of the settlement were filled in, a children’s playground was thoughtfully established to complement the excavations thematically.