Maria am Freienstein

Sometimes it's good to know somebody who knows somebody...

I wasn't sure what to think when I saw the small and steep dirt road rising in front of the car. We had just passed the small town of St. Peter Freienstein and now it seemed like we were driving up he hill directly to the woods. A few dozen meters later if became clear that our small car wouldn't make it to the top with five people in it. So we jumped out and started walking up.

I knew we were going to see a church on the top, a church that was seldom open for people to stop by and have a look. But that was more or less all I had been told, and I have to admit I didn't expect too much from an old village church. My mistake. When the white wooden gate opened and I saw the cobblestone gateway with scarlet geraniums together with the view to the town underneath ... it just took my breath away.

Even though the entrance already gave a hint of unexpected things to be found,  I was surprised to find a cozy, light and newly renovated church inside the old and heavy stone walls. The renovation had been done with very good taste, leaving the walls beautifully white and adding some decorative wall-paintings and golden ornamentation. And the sunbeams peeking from the high windows gave everything the final touch.

Besides the church, the walls of Maria am Freienstein hid inside a cozy courtyard with stone steps leading down to a small chapel right on the edge of the hill. Looking down from the wall that surrounded the courtyard, I could totally understand why there used to be a castle on this spot before the church was built. These steep stone walls with little place for resting have definitely provided a great protection.