The parish church is dedicated to the siblings Kanzius, Kanzian and Kanzianilla – martyrs that were executed in Aquileia in 290. The oldest record of the parish church dates back to the 12th century. However, it is likely to be a fair chunk older. It ranks among the main attractions in terms of classic sightseeing: The core of the church is Romanesque, the choir is late Gothic and dates back to 1518. The second floor was built in a way that the church could also be used for defense purposes. The main nave is Historicist and was built between 1849 and 1860.
Another church worth noting is the cemetery church “Hl. Margareta in Stein”. Nearby you find an ancient “Bildstock”, a religious memorial that was built in commemoration of Countess Hildegard von Stein, a medieval woman that is locally worshipped as a saint.
The tower of “Hl. Margareta in Stein” contains a bell that is called “Wunschglöcklein” (“little bell of wishes”). According to a local legend, young and unmarried women (virgins, of course) used to go to the church and ring this bell in order to receive blessings for finding a man. St. George himself was said to be in charge of the business of finding an appropriate spouse for them.
The village of St Kanzian became a separate municipality only in 1866. At around this time, Carinthia became a popular destination with Viennese aristocrats that spent a few weeks every summer by the lakes of this province.
