Leins: Chaplaincy Church and Hiking Routes

The Chaplaincy Church of Mariahilf and the marked hiking routes give you two specific starting points for planning your trip to Leins. At the church, the focus is on its architectural history, religious dedication and later changes. The hiking descriptions provide guidance through named routes, start and end points, and a special designation. This lets you choose different priorities for your stay without confusing the individual route descriptions.

Chaplaincy Church of Mariahilf: History and Changes

The Chaplaincy Church of Mariahilf in Leins was built around 1750 to replace an older chapel and was dedicated to Our Lady, Mary Help of Christians. Its architectural history therefore begins with a predecessor building, on whose site the present church was erected. The approximate date of around 1750 differs from the precisely dated later changes to the building.

A specific point of reference for art history is the high altarpiece, painted in 1856 by Hans Kapferer from the Sellrain Valley. The painting’s creation can thus be distinguished chronologically from the construction of the church. In 1955, the church was enlarged and given its own cemetery. This extension marks another building phase, distinct from the original construction and the later altarpiece.

Two changes are also recorded for 2024: the church was restored inside and out, and the altar area was redesigned. In the same year, it was elevated to the status of a subsidiary church. The restoration describes the building’s renovation and redesign, while the elevation concerns its ecclesiastical status. In the list of historic monuments as of June 30, 2025, the Chaplaincy Church is listed as protected by ordinance.

Hiking: Routes and Navigation in Leins

The Leins–Wenns–Arzl-Ried circular hike begins and ends at Leins Church and is designated as a circular route. The route is listed as 8.20 kilometers long, with 310 meters of ascent and 330 meters of descent. These figures make the route length and the two elevation directions clear for your planning. The church is not only a historic landmark, but also the named start and end point of this circular hike.

The “Leins Feuerwehr” bus stop is listed as the access point for this circular hike. Another route description, “Pitzenhöfe–Leins–return,” names the church and the bus stop as landmarks: after turning toward Unterleins, the route passes both. If you use this description, the sequence of turning and then passing these landmarks helps you identify the points mentioned along the route. Check the current timetable before travelling, as bus services and stops may change.

The “Pitzenhöfe–Unterleins and return” route is also designated as a hike with a Swiss Trac. This designation applies specifically to this route. It should therefore be distinguished from the similarly named description “Pitzenhöfe–Leins–return,” which names the church and bus stop as landmarks. When choosing the right description, the full route title and the landmarks explicitly mentioned for each route are therefore key.

The circular hike starting and ending at the church provides specific information about distance and elevation gain and loss; the “Pitzenhöfe–Leins–return” description, by contrast, highlights navigation using the church and bus stop. The Swiss Trac designation applies to the route to Unterleins. If you are planning one of these hikes, check the current route details against the description you have chosen, as route conditions may change.

Discover more destinations: Ried, Wald.

For the main travel overview: Arzl Im Pitztal.