Gurk — Uncover the Scepter's Secret
Decode the enigma of the Episcopal Scepter of Gurk, hidden amid bishops' ancient power struggles. Track clues through sacred sites to expose a millennium-old conspiracy before it claims another victim.
📱 1 to 10 phones · 1 team per phone · Independent codes
In the shadow of the Alps, the Cathedral of Gurk guards a perilous secret: the Episcopal Scepter, forged in blood and ambition by medieval bishops
Gurk — Uncover the Scepter's Secret
You are Roman I, the first Prince-Bishop of Gurk, freshly elected in 1076.
Your mission begins on Domplatz, at the foot of the 11
Immerse yourself in Gurk, Carinthia, to unravel an age-old mystery within Austria's first cathedral.
A game, a guided tour and a heritage guide — all in one
You're not just buying an escape game. You're carrying a living guide — historical anecdotes, forgotten legends, key monuments, hidden architecture — unfolding as you go.
At each stop, places ordinary guides miss — secret façades, sculpted crests, alleys steeped in history.
Every riddle is rooted in a real historical fact or local legend. You leave with dozens of stories to tell.
Learn to read buildings — flamboyant Gothic, Baroque, Art Deco — like a real art historian, while having fun.
Walk through the city like a novel's character — every alley becomes a stage, every square a theatre.
A voice walks with you at every step, tells the story of each place, reads clues, adds a cinematic feel.
Keep access to the guide & game for 1 year. Come back any time, share it with friends.
« You will not leave this city the way you entered it. »
How does it work?
Explore the city on foot solving puzzles based on real historical facts. No locked room — the city is your playground.
No app to download. Play directly from your browser. Guided step by step, at your own pace.
One purchase per phone is enough. Play with family, friends or as a couple — everyone participates.
Point your phone at the façade: a historical character appears and speaks to you in your language. Golden letters magically write themselves on the wall to reveal the puzzle answer.
Stuck? Progressive personalised hints. The character repeats the puzzle on demand — at your own pace.
French, English, German, Spanish, Italian + 27 other languages auto-translated by AI.
Want to go deeper?
Places tied to your adventure — optional entries, totally up to you · per person
The story that haunts this land
Your quest begins at Dom zu Gurk, the Romanesque cathedral founded in 1043 by the blessed Hemma of Gurk. It is here, on this site which was the first cathedral built on Austrian soil, that you must find the first clue. The cathedral was consecrated in 1200 after over 150 years of construction, reaching approximately 60 meters in length. As Prince-Bishop, you feel the weight of history and faith that shaped this Diocese of Gurk. Your family journey through Gurk will lead you through the remains of this Romanesque Carinthian heritage.
Proceed to the Fürstenportal, the 13th-century Romanesque princely portal located south of the cathedral. Its sculpted narratives, restored in 1950, depict Christ in Majesty with the apostles, a typical example of Carinthian Romanesque art. Observe the details of this portal carefully, as a hidden message in its engravings will guide you to the next stage of your mission. This visit to Gurk is an exploration of the architectural details that have marked centuries of history.
Inside the cathedral, the Winterkapelle, a Gothic winter chapel built around 1440, houses a Baroque altar added in the 17th century with statues of local saints. This chapel, used for winter masses due to its small, heated size, holds a crucial parchment fragment. The thematic circuit in Carinthia you are following reveals intimate places of worship and power, essential for understanding the history of Gurk.
Next, head to the Hemma-Brunnen on Domplatz, a commemorative fountain erected in 1903 in honor of Hemma. It depicts the blessed woman holding a model of the cathedral she founded, standing approximately 4 meters tall and made of local Carinthian stone. It is near this fountain that you will need to reconstruct a series of events related to the election of the first Prince-Bishop of Gurk in 1076, a central event for the Diocese of Gurk.
Your walking tour of Gurk concludes by returning to Domplatz, the historic central square surrounding the cathedral since the 11th century. A former site of medieval markets and episcopal ceremonies, it is paved and lined with listed buildings from the 17th to 19th centuries. The Propstei Gurk, the provosts' residence dating from the 16th century, and the Nordturm, the 65-meter Baroque north tower built between 1670-1680, complete the picture. By solving the final puzzles, you will have uncovered the secret of the scepter and understood the heritage of this Carinthian monument, a truly interactive visit to the history of Gurk.
The Route
8 stages through the city
The gameplay: AR, camera, hidden clues
At each stop, open your phone camera: an augmented reality character appears on the façade and speaks your language. Hunt the clue — it materializes as golden letters on the real wall or floats in front of you. When you find it, the phone vibrates, an AR chest opens and reveals your answer fragment. 8 stops, 8 clues to find with the camera, 1 final code.
The stops on your route are a surprise. You'll discover them one by one, guided by your phone, starting from the meeting point.
How does it work with a group?
One phone = one team. Pick the number at checkout (1 to 10).
Solo, or a group sharing the screen. One team, one code.
Family, couple, or 2-3 teams competing. Each phone has its own code and its own score.
Friends, bachelor/bachelorette, small office outing — each their own code, each plays at their own pace. Tiered pricing then €6 flat per phone from the 6th.
- ✓All codes are independent — play at the same time OR separately, each team advances at its own pace.
- ✓Leaderboard between your teams + global game leaderboard — each score appears in the public ranking.
- ✓More than 10 phones or need a personalized quest? Discover custom tours.
Ready to live this adventure?
Get my code · 12€No calendar booking. Code sent immediately by email.
🔒 Secure payment · Code in 5 min · Free cancellation
Practical info
Why this route?
Unveil the secrets of millennial power
Delve into the arcana of Gurk's episcopacy and its centuries-old intrigues.
Decipher the marks left by ancient canons
Follow a thread of architectural and symbolic clues hidden in the stone.
Explore a Romanesque art jewel in Carinthia
Be amazed by the grandeur and details of Gurk Cathedral.
Sacred power is not acquired; it is revealed.
A millennial heritage between faith and intrigue.
9 features nobody else has
OddballTrip combines gamified play, augmented reality and AI. All our competitors deliver 1 or 2 of these angles. We deliver all 5.
AR treasure chest
A golden chest floats in front of the monument. Tap → opening animation → reveals a secret message.
AR narrator character
Point your phone at the façade: a knight, witch, monk, sailor, detective or ghost appears full-screen and speaks to you in your language with their dedicated ElevenLabs voice (each character has their own unique voice) — your living guide.
Magic golden letters
At the puzzle climax, golden letters magically write themselves on the real wall — that's the puzzle answer. An unforgettable visual effect.
Written + audio narration
Every puzzle available as text AND voice-over: read at your own pace or listen eyes-free while walking. Great in groups and for accessibility.
360° radar + vibration
A mini-radar shows the target even behind you, and the phone vibrates when you aim in the right direction.
Heritage storytelling
Every puzzle weaves in real historical facts (architecture, era, anecdotes). You learn by playing — like a gamified audioguide.
Progressive AI hints
3 levels of AI-generated help: vibe → where to look → answer format. You're never stuck.
AR selfie memento
At the end of the game, capture a selfie with OddballTrip banner + mascot, shareable on Instagram, TikTok.
Zero app to install
PWA technology: open the link, it plays in your browser. Same quality as an app, no App Store hassle.
Frequently asked questions
Q01Do I need to download an app?
No, never. You get a link, you click, it plays in your browser. That's the point of a PWA: same as an app, without the hassle.
Q02Does it work offline?
GPS yes (handled by your phone). Maps yes (tiles cached). AI and hints need an intermittent 4G connection.
Q03How long does a game take?
1 h 30 to 2 h 30 depending on your pace. The timer runs but only for the leaderboard — you play at your own tempo.
Q04What happens if I'm stuck?
You get 3 levels of hints per puzzle (increasing penalty). If truly stuck, you can skip the step (45-min penalty but you keep going).
Q05What's the age range?
From 12 without an adult, from 6 with an adult reading puzzles. Works for families, couples, friend groups, companies.
Q06What if my city isn't in the catalogue?
Pre-register or contact us — we'll email you as soon as your city is live.
Q07What is augmented reality exactly?
Point your phone at the façade: a historical character appears full-screen and speaks to you in your language. At the puzzle climax, golden letters magically write themselves on the real wall — that's your answer. After each puzzle solved, a treasure chest floats in front of you. Seeing is believing.
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Your turn to play
Immerse yourself in Gurk, Carinthia, to unravel an age-old mystery within Austria's first cathedral.
1 purchase = 1 phone. Play several on the same device.
No calendar booking. Code sent immediately by email.
🔒Secure payment · Code in 5 min · Free cancellation
🪙+24 TripCoins granted with your booking
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