Austrian Castles Road
You can experience a foray through the Styrian-Burgenland-Slovenian-Croatian past and present on the Castle Road, which presents itself from a charming side at any time of the year. 41 castles and palaces tempt you to go on a journey of discovery. The old walls, these mighty bastions and fortifications are venerable witnesses of a great past and eventful history of the border region - from the Middle Ages to modern times. During the threatening Turkish invasions, a dense wall of castles was built along the eastern border of the Styrian Mark in the 12th century. Many of them were later rebuilt into castles, several are still well preserved, and some of them offer a princely residence for guests today.
In the midst of the Styrian "Wechselgau", Festenburg Castle is enthroned on a densely wooded rocky spur that slopes steeply down on three sides. The castle was founded by the lords of Stubenberg, in 1616 the monastery of Vorau bought the Festenburg and transformed the medieval fortified castle into a "monastery castle". In the Augustinian canons' monastery of Vorau, the library is particularly worth seeing. Aichberg Castle, which also dates back to the 12th century, was restored to its present state by a master builder of the Carlone school. A magnificent baroque building is Pöllau Castle, a former moated castle located in the middle of the Pöllau Valley Nature Park. Today the castle is used for concerts, exhibitions and festivities in many ways.
In the midst of extensive parks and gardens lies Schielleiten Castle, which is considered the most important Styrian castle building of the late Baroque period and is probably the "sportiest" of all castles. As the location of the Federal Sports and Leisure Center Schielleiten, numerous training facilities are embedded in the castle park, including a swimming pond. Sport makes you tired, but that is also taken care of: you can spend the night in the castle as well as in some outbuildings. Another accommodation tip in Stubenberg am See is the Neuhaus Castle, which offers three suites for summer visitors.
In the center of Hartberg, which is one of the best-preserved old towns in Styria, is Hartberg Castle. The former medieval castle was converted into a palace in the Renaissance style and an arcade wing was added in the 17th century. Proud and mighty, the more than 850-year-old Riegersburg Castle is enthroned on the rocks of a volcanic mountain. The imposing bulwark was never conquered - until the tourists arrived. Today, Riegersburg Castle can be conquered either on foot along the centuries-old picturesque path through the castle gates and along the fortification walls or in just 90 seconds via the inclined elevator on the north side of the castle. Either way, the climb is rewarded with an impressive view.
Mysteriously hidden in the wildly romantic landscape of the Feistritz Gorge lies Herberstein Castle, which combines Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque styles in one of the most beautiful aristocratic estates in Styria and impressively tells its story of 700 years of family tradition. The magnificent historic castle gardens alone, which were revitalized in the late 1990s, are worth a visit. Also of interest is the Siegmund Garden, which presents an excerpt from the history of garden design and shows the development of garden art in a cross-section of centuries. The count's Obermayerhofen Castle near Bad Waltersdorf has an excellent reputation not only as a wedding castle. The stylish castle hotel has an excellent restaurant and features a beautiful arcaded courtyard.
The Pfeilburg in Fürstenfeld served a completely different purpose: from 1694, the first Austrian tobacco factory was housed here. The oldest secular building in the town has the only medieval fortified tower in Styria. The Fürstenfeld Fortress Trail is also located here. At Welsdorf Castle, the garden castle above the thermal capital of Fürstenfeld, extraordinary festivities and dream weddings can be celebrated. In addition, the Sadnik family offers you the fascinating experience of being temporary lords of the castle.
Feldbach is home to the Tabor, which houses the Heimat.Museum. The largely original, historic fortified castle offers 1,400 m² of exhibition space for exhibits from various collections. A few kilometers north of Feldbach is Kornberg Castle, a Renaissance castle with a fortified character from the 17th century. Part of the complex is the well-known Andrea Chapel. Also worth seeing is the permanent exhibition: "The small world of the great castles" in the Meierhof to Kornberg Castle. Knights' dinners are held in the castle - among other things, minstrels and tower brass players provide entertainment for the guests. Kapfenstein Castle, a former fortified castle dating back to the 11th century, has been owned by the Winkler-Hermaden family since 1898 and is now a meeting place for gourmets. Behind the thick walls of the castle is a small, cozy hotel with a lot of charm. The lands, which lie on the slopes of the extinct volcanic cone, are now largely used for viticulture. In the "Löwenkeller" Georg Winkler-Hermaden and his sons press wines of international caliber.
To the south lies the spa town of Bad Gleichenberg, which stands for peace and relaxation. Around the historic town, a dreamlike, gently hilly cultural landscape invites to pleasurable hiking and culinary delights. The holistic relaxation of body and mind can be rounded off in the "Therme der Ruhe" of Bad Gleichenberg. The southernmost tip of Styria is formed by the historic old town of Bad Radkersburg, which was awarded the European Gold Medal for the preservation of monuments. The 700-year history can be felt in almost every corner: from the main square with its Renaissance facades to the Gothic parish church, from the museum in the old armory to the Herbstorff Palace with its magnificent arcaded courtyard and fortification wall.