Ranten: Customs, Culture and Trails

Ranten lies in the Ranten Valley on the southern edge of the Niedere Tauern mountains. You can plan your trip around a range of interests: culture and customs, as well as trails for hiking, horseback riding and cycling, plus cross-country skiing in winter. If you are looking for a hotel in Ranten, first consider which of these themes matters most for your stay.

Martin Zeiller and the history of Ranten

In 1989, the municipality of Ranten commemorated its native travel writer Martin Zeiller by creating the Martin Zeiller Trail. The trail features seven milestones designed by artist Alfred Schlosser. The stones bear travel recommendations from M. Zeiller’s “FIDUS ACHATES.” In this way, the trail makes Zeiller’s travel writing part of the municipality’s cultural offering.

The Martin Zeiller Garden in the village square also commemorates the writer, who lived from 1589 to 1661. Zeiller is considered one of the world’s first travel journalists and wrote the first German-language travel guide, “Fidus Achates.” The trail and garden offer different perspectives: the trail focuses on recommendations carved in stone, while the garden recalls Zeiller’s life and significance.

Ranten Catholic Parish Church combines Romanesque and Gothic elements with Baroque features added later. It was built around 1100 in the Early Middle Ages to serve the extensive parish area of the Ranten and Katschtal valleys. Its exterior features a Protestant fresco cycle consisting of three images. Pastor Martin Zeiller Sr. commissioned it during the religious upheaval of the Reformation, and Carinthian painter Wenzel Aichler executed it using fresco techniques around 1560–1570.

Another landmark in the area’s history is the Maria Schutz pilgrimage church in Rinegg. It was built between 1947 and 1950 as a mass chapel for the then-independent municipality of Rinegg and also as a war memorial. Its date of construction and the former municipal structure set it apart from Ranten’s medieval parish church.

Faschingrennen and Ranten’s customs

The Ranten Faschingrennen is one of Styria’s oldest customs and was added to UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage list in 2011. On Shrove Monday, a large crowd of men in costume gathers in the village square. At 5:00 a.m., the Faschingrennen participants set off to the sound of cowbells and sleigh bells to drive out winter. On Shrove Tuesday, the event comes to a close in the village square with a carnival wedding, performed exclusively by men. If you are planning a trip specifically to experience this custom, check the event dates for your planned stay.

Hiking, cross-country skiing and cycling

Ranten has a well-marked network of hiking and horseback riding trails. In winter, an extensive cross-country ski trail network is available. The village square is the central starting and access point for hiking tours and the cross-country ski trail. You can also take long walks along the Rantenbach stream. This gives you a choice of activities and seasons when planning your trip.

The Ranten Cycle Route R63 reaches its destination in Ranten shortly before the end of its route, following the Rantenbach stream and avoiding the main road. Before the village of Tratten, however, the cycle route runs along the main road for about 500 metres. Check the local signs before setting off, as route conditions may change. The approximate length of this road section is a specific point of reference, without specifying a walking or cycling time.

The Rottenmanner Teich

The Rottenmanner Teich is a newly created landscape pond with a water surface of three hectares and is an ecologically valuable feature of the landscape. You can walk around the pond, relax on the benches and enjoy nature. The pond is suitable for a family outing.

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