Schloss Seggau

Schloss Seggau consists of a complex of buildings arranged around two main courtyards: the upper castle courtyard and the economic courtyard. The upper courtyard is enclosed by mostly three-story buildings, including the court tract and the Vizedomhaus. The court tract retains a Gothic core, with an interior corner dated 1491. Embedded in the courtyard walls and corridors are numerous Roman stone monuments from the 2nd and 3rd centuries, including Noricum round medallions depicting couples and mythological scenes. These were discovered during the demolition of an old tower in the early 19th century.

The economic courtyard, dating from the 16th century, forms a three-sided enclosed complex unified in 1682 by builder Jakob Schmerlaib. Its main western gate is flanked by a 1729 statue of St. John of Nepomuk and coat of arms stones from the mid-16th century. Between 1955 and 1960, this courtyard was converted into an educational center and now houses conference and hotel facilities. A modern annex provides additional hotel rooms and dining spaces.

At the northern end of the castle garden lies a long garden hall called the Orangerie, featuring 13 arches beneath which is the castle’s wine cellar. This cellar is a free-standing baroque vaulted structure over 300 years old, containing large wooden barrels. It is one of the largest and oldest wine cellars in Europe and remains in use for tastings and events.

The northern wing of the economic courtyard once housed the St. Michael Chapel, consecrated in 1961. It featured concrete-glass windows by Alfred Wickenburg illustrating the Apocalypse of John and sculptures by Alexander Silveri. In 2004, a new St. Michael Chapel was built in the Brennertrakt, the former armory dating from 1586 and remodeled in the late 17th century. The new chapel was consecrated in 2005 and includes a stone altar made of eclogite, original windows and sculptures from the previous chapel, and new artworks by Gerald Brettschuh and Wolfgang Hollegha.

A prominent clock tower stands between the economic courtyard and the upper castle. It has undergone several renovations, including being raised by one floor in 1964 and topped with a hipped roof. The tower contains three historic bells dated 1385, 1587, and 1688, though they are currently not in use.

Schloss Polheim lies lower on the terrain and apart from the main complex. This late Renaissance, hook-shaped building dates from the mid-16th century and features two-story arcades with Ionic capitals on the ground floor columns. Its simple portal bears the coat of arms of Bishop Rudolf Josef Graf Thun. Much of Schloss Polheim was demolished in 1693, and although it is protected as a historic monument, its condition is poorer than the rest of the castle.

Inside the upper castle, the baroque princely chambers on the second upper floor have been preserved and restored. Access is limited to guided tours. The castle chapel in the upper castle was restored in 2010. The 1831 lapidarium houses mostly Roman gravestones, preserving the site’s ancient heritage.

On the south side, the bastion tower contains the “Seggauer Liesl,” the largest historic bell in Styria. Measuring two meters in diameter and cast in 1688, it is rung manually at noon on Sundays and holidays by four strong individuals.

The lower castle courtyard features the Trinity Fountain, created in 1995 by Fred Höfler, adding a modern element to the historic site.