The Nature Park Almenland is built of 6 municipalities

Passail

Area: 8,020 ha
Population: 4,320

History: The first documented mention dates back to 1230. Passail was under the rule of the Stubenbergs for a long time. The original name was "Po Selo" and means "rear settlement". A document from 1328 names 37 citizens. Since 1 January 2015, the districts of Hohenau an der Raab, Arzberg and Neudorf have belonged to Passail.

Geography: The municipality of Passail lies in the Passailer Kessel, embedded between the Schöckl peak and the Sommeralm. The source of the Raab lies at the foot of the Osser. The Raab is the main river of the municipality and forms the "Great Raab Gorge" from Arzberg onwards.

Economy: The market town of Passail is not only the most populous municipality, but also the economic and local supply centre in the Almenland Nature Park.

Information

Marktgemeinde Passail
Mayor Mag. Eva Karrer

Markt 1
8162 Passail
Telefon: 0043 (0)3179 / 23 300
E-Mail: marktgemeinde (at) passail. at
Web: www.passail.at

Fladnitz at the Teichalm

Area: 6,650 ha
Population: 1,822

History: The area was already inhabited in Roman times and was then settled and cultivated by Slavs and Bavarians. First documented mention on 15 July 1240. The first church in Fladnitz was mentioned in 1285 and, according to the parish chronicle, consecrated in 1303; the patron saint of the parish is St. Nicholas (6 Dec.). Since 1 January 2015 Fladnitz an der Teichalm has been a large municipality with the districts of Tulwitz and Tyrnau.

Geography: Fladnitz an der Teichalm ranges in altitude from 650 m to 1,720 m, lies in the district of Weiz and borders on the districts of Graz-Umgebung and Bruck an der Mur. The centre of the municipality is the Teichalm with the lake.

Economy: The municipality of Fladnitz an der Teichalm is on the one hand agricultural, but on the other hand sustainably characterised by tourism. The 60 or so businesses in the municipality, mainly the hospitality industry and wood processing, provide jobs for about 460 women and men.

Information

Gemeinde Fladnitz an der Teichalm
Mayor Peter Raith

Fladnitz 100
8163 Fladnitz an der Teichalm
Telefon: 0043 (0)3179 / 23 238-0
E-Mail: gde (at) fladnitz-teichalm.gv. at
Web: www.fladnitz.at

Pernegg at the Mur

Area: 8,605 ha
Population: 2,414

History: The first human traces were found in the dragon cave near Mixnitz about 50,000 years ago. In 1103 "Gerhoch de Trevesse" (Traföß) was first mentioned in a document as the oldest owner of the Pernegg area. In 1130 the parish church in Kirchdorf, the Maximiliankirche, is mentioned in a document, and in 1439 the first small church of Our Lady was built in Pernegg.

Geography: The municipality of Pernegg lies directly on the Mur, 10 km south of Bruck an der Mur and 40 km north of Graz. Pernegg is part of the Mur cycle path R2 and the mountain bike route Drachentour and is therefore a mecca for cyclists.
a Mecca for cyclists. The railway stations Pernegg and Mixnitz on the southern railway line make Pernegg the gateway to the Almenland.

Economy: Pernegg has a vibrant economy with many commercial and industrial enterprises, as well as the hydroelectric power plant of the Autstrian Hydro Power AG association, including a show turbine.

Information

Gemeinde Pernegg an der Mur
Mayor Eva Schmidinger

Kirchdorf 16
8132 Pernegg an der Mur
Telefon: 0043 (0)3867 / 8044
Fax: 0043 (0)3867 / 8044-4
E-Mail: gde (at) pernegg. at
Web: www.pernegg.at

Breitenau at the Hochlantsch

Area: 6,249 ha
Population: 2,100

History: Agricultural settlement probably took place about 1,000 years ago. In 1147 a knight Pernegerus von Praitenove (= Breitenau) is mentioned for the first time in a document. However, the valley only gained greater importance through mining. Around 1400 arsenic and silver were mined on the Straßegg, and around 1900 magnesite mining began, which is still of great economic importance today.

Geography: Breitenau lies about 22 km south of the district capital Bruck/Mur at an altitude of 650 m above sea level and borders on the districts of Weiz and Mürzzuschlag. Breitenau's local mountain is the Hochlantsch, at 1,722 m the highest elevation in the Almenland Nature Park.

Economy: Magnesite has been mined in open-cast mining since 1906, the first tunnels were driven around 1940 and deep mining began about 10 years later. Magnesite mining is still the largest industry in Breitenau today, with the two companies RHI and MAGNEFIN.

Information

Marktgemeinde Breitenau/Hochlantsch
Mayor Ing. Alexander Lehofer

Breitenau 9
8614 Breitenau am Hochlantsch
Telefon: 0043 (0)3866 / 5151
E-Mail: gde (at) breitenau-hochlantsch. at
Web: www.breitenau-hochlantsch.at

Gasen

Area: 3,388 ha
Population: 916

History: The Slavs were the first settlers and gave the valley its name. "Gassen" was first mentioned in a document in 1406. In the 13th century the first church was built, dedicated to St. Oswald and St. Barbara. In the heyday of mining, from the 16th to the 18th century, gold, arsenic, silver and magnetic ironstone were mined in the village. A few scythe forges along the Gasenbach stream were in operation until the end of the 19th century. Today Gasen is a typical mountain farming village with extremely steep slopes.

Geography: Gasen lies on the district border of Weiz and borders on the district of Bruck-Mürzzuschlag. Gasen consists of the districts of Gasen, Sonnleitberg, Mitterbach and Amassegg and lies between the municipalities of Breitenau and Birkfeld.

Economy: In Gasen there is mainly agriculture and forestry, the municipality is considered the steepest mountain farming village in Styria. The largest business is the steel construction company Willingshofer GmbH.

Information

Gemeinde Gasen
Mayor ÖR Erwin Gruber

Gasen 3
8616 Gasen
Telefon: 0043 (0)3171 / 201-0
E-Mail: gde (at) gasen.gv.at
Web: www.gasen.at

St. Kathrein at the Offenegg

Area: 4,024 ha
Population: 1,130

History: The village was first mentioned in 1295 as "apud sanctam Katherinam" and was called "St. Kathrein in der Weiz" until 1349. In the 13th century, a settlement gradually developed in the present-day area of St. Kathrein, which received a church in 1295. Since 1850 St. Kathrein has been a municipality in its own right.

Geography: The municipal area stretches from the Brandlucken in the north to the Zetz in the east and the Weizklamm in the south. In the west the municipality borders on the Passail Basin. At 1,531 m, the Plankogel on the Sommeralm is the highest elevation.

Economy: The two focal points in St. Kathrein are agriculture and tourism. With over 20 businesses and about 300 guest beds, St. Kathrein am Offenegg is today the second largest tourist community in the Almenland Nature Park.

Information

Gemeinde St. Kathrein am Offenegg
Mayor Manfred Straßegger

Dorf 2
8171 St. Kathrein am Offenegg
T: 0043 (0)3179 / 8231
E-Mail: info (at) st-kathrein.at
Web: www.st-kathrein.at

Heilbrunn

Area: 2,758 ha
Population: 659

History: Naintsch was first mentioned in 1364 as "Nuentsch". However, the Romans probably already used a path through the Naintschgraben via Heilbrunn and the Sommeralm in the direction of Passail. Naintsch has been a district of Anger since 1 January 2015.

Geography: Naintsch lies between the Apfelland and Sommeralm areas and stretches from Anger up to Brandlucken. There is no village centre with the name Naintsch, the districts are called Heilbrunn, Brandlucken and Steg.

Economy: The economy is dominated by agriculture, the two quarries and gastronomy on the Brandlucken and in Heilbrunn.

Information

Gemeinde Anger
Mayor RR Hubert Höfler

Südtiroler Platz 3
8184 Anger
Telefon: 0043 (0)3175 / 2211
E-Mail: gde (at) anger.gv.at
Web: www.anger.gv.at

Koglhof

Ortsteil der Gemeinde Birkfeld

Area: 3,070 ha
Population: 355

History: Settlement began in the 12th century, starting from the church of St. Georgen and Frondsberg Castle. The construction of the Feistritztal railway in 1910 brought an economic upswing. At the end of the Second World War, the municipality was a war zone; reconstruction and the development of the infrastructure took place from 1950 onwards. Since 1 January 2015, Koglhof has been a district of the municipality of Birkfeld.

Geography: Koglhof has the shape of a maple leaf and is situated on both sides of the Feistritz, 5 km south of Birkfeld. The main village of Koglhof lies in the Feistritz valley at an altitude of 520 m above sea level. The highest elevation is the Königskogel at over 1,200 m.

Economy: Koglhof is dominated by agriculture. The largest economic enterprise is the Rosegg Trade and Industry Centre, the successor to the Rosegg special cardboard factory.

Haslau

part of the township Birkfeld

Area: 1,401 ha
Population: 131

History: Haslau was first mentioned in a document as Hasslaw in 1368. The cadastral municipality of Haslau became an independent municipality through the provisional municipal law of 1849. Since 1 January 2015, Haslau has been a district of the municipality of Birkfeld.

Geography: Haslau lies between Gasen and Birkfeld and is divided into Upper and Lower Haslau. The highest mountain is the Offnerberg with an altitude of 1,293 m, the lowest point is at 623 m. The main river is the Haslauerbach.

Economy: Haslau is dominated by agriculture, but many farmers are now only part-time farmers. The most important business is the company Kulmerfisch GmbH, which sells its products from its own fish farm far beyond the national borders. Attached to the business is the Kulmer trout inn, which proudly wears a bonnet.

Information

Gemeinde Birkfeld
Mayor Oliver Felber

Hauptplatz 13
8190 Birkfeld
Phone: 0043 (0)3174 / 4507
E-Mail: marktgemeinde (at) birkfeld.at
Web: www.birkfeld.at

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