Brief info:
- How high is the tower? 94m
- Can you go up? Yes, but only on foot via 239 stairs
- Does it cost entry? Yes, but only € 2.5. You can find all tariffs here
- Opening hours? May, June, Sept, Oct: Mon-Sat 10 a.m.-4.30 p.m. / July, Aug: Mon-Sat 10 a.m.-6 p.m., closed on Sundays and public holidays as well as in winter
- Is it worth the climb? Yes, you have a wonderful view of Villach and the surrounding area
At 94 m, the Villach parish tower is the highest church tower in Carinthia. The building was already famous in the Middle Ages, as the Italian chronicler Paolo Santonino wrote in 1486 that this tower was as magnificent as none in Venice at the time.
The lower part of the tower is still medieval today. Due to fire and earthquake damage, it was rebuilt several times over the centuries, its current shape and height dates from 1847. Today it is the property of the parish of St. Jakob, which, however, has granted the city the right to make it accessible as a lookout point ; it has been open to visitors since 1993.
The tower stands a little further west of the church and is connected to it by a vaulted vestibule. There are 48 stairs to the gallery, to get to the very top you have to climb the 239 stairs. On the way up there is even a short one-way section because of the narrow path. From above, however, you are rewarded with a great view.
The highest point is 94 meters and is therefore higher than anything in the immediate vicinity. You can see as far as the Karawanken in the south. Up the Drautal you can see about 70km as far as the Hohe Tauern. In the immediate vicinity you can still see the Dobratsch (2166m) Gerlitzen (1909m) or the Mittagskogel (2145m)