Zlan: Church, Organ and Goldeck

Among the defining themes of a trip to Zlan are the Protestant church and its organ history, and the Goldeck Panoramic Road with its views and hiking connections. When planning your stay, you can choose between local cultural landmarks and excursions into the mountain landscape. There are also two clearly distinct points of reference for hiking: the distinctive Goldeck summit and a circular trail that leads back to Zlan.

Protestant Church and Organ History

The Protestant Church in Zlan is the second-largest Protestant church building in Carinthia. The Zlan organ was built by organ builder Jakob Ladstätter; it has 28 stops across four manuals, as well as a pedal, and was the largest organ in Carinthia. A stop shapes an organ’s tone, the manuals are the keyboards played with the hands, and the pedal is played with the feet. The two size descriptions refer to different things: one describes the church building, the other the instrument.

The historically significant Ladstätter organ was rededicated in August 2025 following its renovation. The church’s pulpit and altar come from Villach’s main church, St. Jakob. Communal singing is also part of Zlan’s musical life: the Sängerrunde Zlan choir sings at celebrations and in the church. Together, the organ, its furnishings and the singing offer various points of interest for anyone interested in church and music history.

Goldeck Panoramic Road and Mountain Landscape

The Goldeck Panoramic Road is a scenic excursion road in Zlan-Stockenboi. It is 14.5 kilometres long and leads to the “Seetal” terminus car park at an altitude of 1,900 metres. The road offers views of the surrounding mountains and valleys. The Seetal terminus car park is a starting point for hiking and experiencing the mountain landscape. From the Zlan side, the distinctive Goldeck summit can be reached via an easy hiking trail. This excursion therefore offers both mountain and valley views, as well as hiking with the summit as a destination.

Hiking: Summit Trail or Circular Trail

The “Zlan – Edlerweg – old Goldeck Road – Zlan” circular trail leads from Zlan, past the Protestant church, along the Edlerweg and back to Zlan via the old Goldeck Road. This loop, which returns to the village, can be distinguished from the trail to the distinctive Goldeck summit: one route focuses on the sequence of named trail sections, while the other has the summit as its destination. These two descriptions therefore give you different points of reference when choosing your hiking destination, without combining the trails into a single route.

You can first decide whether church and music history, the Goldeck Panoramic Road or hiking is most important for your stay, and then look for a hotel for your trip.

Discover more destinations: Kerschdorf, Winkl, Duel, Fahrendorf, Töplitsch, Feistritz An Der Gail, Innere Einöde, Selpritsch

Return to the main travel overview: Villach.