Regional Strategies Development including Regional Church Route Description PP7 – Diocese of Graz-Seckau 1 Content 1 Regional context .................................................................................... 4 1.1 Strengths ................................................................................................................ 5 1.1.1 Socio-economics contexts and entrepreneurship ....................................................... 5 1.1.2 Routes and location ................................................................................................... 6 1.1.3 Heritage and preservation .......................................................................................... 7 1.1.4 Local identity and commitment ................................................................................... 8 1.2 Weaknesses ........................................................................................................... 8 1.2.1 Socio-economics contexts and entrepreneurship ....................................................... 8 1.2.2 Routes and location ................................................................................................... 8 1.2.3 Heritage and preservation .......................................................................................... 9 1.2.4 Local identity and commitment ................................................................................... 9 1.3 Opportunities .......................................................................................................... 9 1.3.1 Socio-economics contexts and entrepreneurship ....................................................... 9 1.3.2 Routes and location ................................................................................................. 10 1.3.3 Heritage and preservation ........................................................................................ 11 1.3.4 Local identity and commitment ................................................................................. 11 1.4 Threats ................................................................................................................. 11 1.4.1 Socio-economics contexts and entrepreneurship ..................................................... 11 1.4.2 Routes and location ................................................................................................. 11 1.4.3 Heritage and preservation ........................................................................................ 11 1.4.4 Local identity and commitment ................................................................................. 11 2 Regional church route ......................................................................... 12 2.1 Benedictine Abbey of Seckau ............................................................................... 13 2.1.1 History ..................................................................................................................... 13 2.1.2 The basilica ............................................................................................................. 13 2.2 Assumption of Mary in Maria Buch ....................................................................... 14 2.2.1 History ..................................................................................................................... 14 2.2.2 About the church ...................................................................................................... 14 2.2.3 Further specialities ................................................................................................... 14 2.3 Benedictine Abbey of Saint Lambert ..................................................................... 15 2.3.1 History ..................................................................................................................... 15 2.3.2 Churches and museum ............................................................................................ 15 2.3.3 Other specialities ..................................................................................................... 15 2.4 Saint Cecilia in Bodendorf .................................................................................... 16 2.4.1 History and church ................................................................................................... 16 2.4.2 Further trivia ............................................................................................................ 16 2.5 Saint Ulrich in Krakauhintermühlen ....................................................................... 17 2 2.6 Saint George in St. Georgen ob Judenburg .......................................................... 18 2.7 Saint George in St. Georgen ob Murau ................................................................ 19 2.8 Saint Oswald in Krakaudorf .................................................................................. 20 3 The process of selection of the churches .......................................... 21 4 Regional strategy ................................................................................. 24 4.1 Introduction ........................................................................................................... 24 4.2 Vision .................................................................................................................... 24 4.3 Strategic approach ................................................................................................ 24 4.4 Goals of the strategy ............................................................................................. 25 4.5 Members/Participants of the Regional Working Group ......................................... 25 4.6 Actions foreseen ................................................................................................... 26 4.7 Timeframes ........................................................................................................... 26 4.8 Budget/financial resources ................................................................................... 26 4.9 Possible sources of funding .................................................................................. 26 4.9.1 Public Funding ......................................................................................................... 26 4.9.2 Sponsoring .............................................................................................................. 26 5 Statement of commitment and signatures ......................................... 27 3 1 Regional context STYRIA The federal state of Styria is situated in the south-eastern part of Austria. Styria has about 1.200.000 inhabitants. 74% of them are Roman Catholic People. The Western Upper Styria consists of two districts, the district Murau (western part) and the Murtal (eastern part). The district Murtal is characterized industrially. Murau makes the timber industry, and forestry and tourism represent the regional specialization. 4 1.1 Strengths 1.1.1 Socio-economics contexts and entrepreneurship There are many innovative individual initiatives, strong brands and networkings of companies in the region. The Meisterwelten (“Master worlds“) with 31 companies: Real Styrian craft art would like to make a network for quality conscious master companies visible, and support this in the long term. Spe- cial main focus: Quality, creativity and affordability. Motto: Together we are strong, together we are masterly! The Holzwelt (“Woodworld”) pursues an integrated regional development with the help of five main focuses (http://www.holzwelt.at): Renewable (Regenerative) energy Wood Regional craft Leisure tourism and rest Art and culture. The Steirische Holzstraße (“Styrian Woodroad“) is a tourism-based project with Round trips Excursions Wooden route run (a kind of marathon). Members in association with Styrian woodroad are all 34 municipalities from the district of Murau and the wooden museum Saint Ruprecht near Murau. Kraft. Das Murtal (“Power. The valley of the river Mur“) is an initiative of the industry and the producing economy of the region. Nearly 60 leading companies and partner organisations put to- gether incentives toward the strengthening of the location. The initiative indicates the potential of the region and supports its advancement. The big aims of the project are: Construction of a sustainable image Increase of the attraction of the employers Anchorage of the network industry and trade and service businesses as an important com- petitive factor Strengthening of the regional responsibility of industry and producing economy Creation of an industrial-tourist offer Murauer Bier is one of the biggest beer brands of Austria and very open for sponsorship. Soft tourism (Space for rest), through the beauties of the scenery of "Murtalland", with many self- supporting huts, family businesses, and children-friendly offers and activities Schule des Daseins ("school of being"), an initiative of the convent of St. Lambrecht with a na- tional acceptance: www.schuledesdaseins.at/schule.php Therme Aqua-Lux, a new thermal bath with atmospheric music stagings and light stagings, indi- vidual space smells and high-quality materials, is directed to all senses. www.therme-aqualux.at/ Kreischberg, a leisure area and, above all, winter sports place with a special main focus on young people: http://www.kreischberg.at/ 5 Rieseralm, many offers especially for children: http://www.rieseralm.at/ Zirbenland, with favourable ski-lift