Leechkirche

The Leechkirche, also known as Maria Himmelfahrt am Leech, is the oldest Roman Catholic church in Graz.The location of the place is somewhat concealed on a hill in the Geidorf district. It can be accessed from both Zinzendorfgasse and Glacisstraße (via Rittergasse).The Graz-Leechkirche is a beneficial part of the Graz cathedral parish, located in the deanery of Graz-Mitte within the city church of Graz.

The current location of Leech Church was once a burial ground that belonged to the urn field culture dating back to the 9th and 8th centuries BC. It continued to be used as a burial ground until the 6th century BC.The burial mound, dating back to the Hallstatt period, has a diameter of approximately 20 meters.Unfortunately, the absence of grave goods can be attributed to the looting of the graves.Since there is a lack of archaeological evidence from the Celtic and Roman periods, it is not assumed that there is any continuity in religious practices.The term “Leech” is derived from the Old High German word “hleo,” which means “mound grave.” This suggests that the understanding of the purpose of the mound was retained until the end of the 1st millennium AD, without being overshadowed by later usage.The burial mound is still evident in the current cadastre, as the property is the only round one in the city of Graz, aside from a few roundabouts.To this day, the retaining wall made of large, smoothed boulders on the edge of the plateau still marks the basic boundary alongside the church.

The first round building without an apse was constructed around the year 1000 AD. During its construction, Roman roof tiles, known as tegulae, were discovered in its foundation.This suggests that there may have been a nearby Roman building, the remains of which have not yet been located, but have been reused.In 1202, Duke Leopold VI replaced the chapel of St. Kunigunden with the first church building, which was also a round church, but this time with an apse.The first recorded mention of this place is in relation to a court convened by the duke in 1224.The present church, which stands on a significantly larger mound than the original burial mound, is believed to have been built during the late Romanesque period.In 1233, Duke Friedrich II of Austria and Styria generously granted the church grounds to the Teutonic Knights.The Kunigundenkapelle was likely destroyed around 1250, but it is uncertain whether the cause was natural or due to military events.

Construction on the new building commenced in 1255, while the present-day church was actually constructed between 1275 and 1293, showcasing the early Gothic architectural style.Based on the reliquary seal, it can be proven that the church was consecrated in 1293 by Bishop Hartnid von Lichtenstein-Offenberg of Gurk.The German Order of Knights was granted the right of asylum for the area surrounding the church.The Teutonic Order did not have burial rights for non-members, but interestingly, numerous graves of non-members were discovered beneath the present-day church.

In 1979, the Teutonic Order transferred ownership of the Leech Church to the diocese of Graz-Seckau. In 1985, the diocese designated it as a university church for the Karl-Franzens University of Graz, which is located nearby.It underwent a thorough renovation between 1991 and 1994.

The early Gothic tympanum, depicting the Madonna with the child above the portal on the west side, was created approximately in 1290. The same artist who designed the keystones of the vault also created the ones inside the church. These keystones depict a branch crucifix, as well as the figures of Saint Cunégonde, Saint Margaret, and Saint Barbara. The high altar, dating back to around 1780, features a beautifully carved wooden statue of the Virgin Mary that dates back to the 15th century.The statue of Mary is accompanied by statues of St. Cunégonde and St. Elizabeth on either side.Embedded in the apse wall to the left of the high altar is a Gothic sacramental niche dating back to 1499.There is a painted Pietà located in a niche to the right of the altar.The stained glass dates back to the 14th and 15th centuries.The towers of the church are relatively young compared to the rest of the structure, as they were built around the year 1500. The ground plan of the Leopoldine Cunigund chapel is engraved as a thin line on the modern floor of the present-day church.