Hebalmkapelle

The Hebalmkapelle is a small Roman Catholic chapel standing on the Hebalm high plateau in the southern part of Pack, a village in the Voitsberg district of Styria. It belongs to the parish of Pack and is dedicated to the Visitation of Mary. The chapel’s interior is rarely open, with services held only on a few days each year, notably the first Sunday in July and the Sunday after 15 August.

The chapel was first built in 1685 by the Saurau family during a severe outbreak of plague along the border. Regular cattle markets and fairs grew up around it, drawing merchants and travellers who crossed the frontier. By the early 19th century the site hosted large gatherings, with reports of 400 people at Mass and 1,600 more at the fair, though the clergy disapproved of the accompanying revelry.

Inside, a modern 1974 altarpiece depicts St Hubert’s vision of a stag bearing a cross. Above it hangs a small image of the Virgin, honouring the chapel’s dedication. A single bright bell hangs in the tower, rung by pulling a rope when the chapel is open. The shingled roof was renewed around the year 2000, and the entrance gate is adorned with a Maltese cross.