The building shown is Schloss Eggenberg (Eggenberg Palace), located on the western edge of Graz, Austria.
Here is the history of this place:
1. Medieval Origins (15th Century)
Long before the Baroque palace was constructed, the site served as a fortified medieval residence. In 1460, Balthasar Eggenberger, a wealthy entrepreneur who served as the Master of the Imperial Mint for Emperor Frederick III, purchased property on the western outskirts of Graz. He built a fortified noble manor and expanded it over the years. By 1470, a square Gothic chapel was built inside a freestanding tower on the property, which eventually became the physical and structural centerpiece around which the future palace was engineered.
2. The Golden Age & Cosmic Construction (17th Century)
The transformation into a grand palace came through Balthasar’s great-grandson, Hans Ulrich von Eggenberg (1568–1634). Hans Ulrich was a brilliant diplomat, financier, and the President of the Imperial Secret Council, effectively acting as prime minister to Holy Roman Emperor Ferdinand II during the turbulent dawn of the Thirty Years' War.
When Ferdinand II named Hans Ulrich the Governor ("Gubernator") of Inner Austria, the prince required a sprawling regional seat of power to project his supreme aristocratic standing. In 1625, he commissioned court architect Giovanni Pietro de Pomis to encase the existing medieval structures into a completely new, mathematically rigid palace concept. Influenced by Renaissance humanism, astronomy, and classical philosophy, the design was explicitly built to serve as an architectural allegory of the cosmos and the calendar:
· 365 exterior windows representing the days of a year.
· 24 state rooms arranged in a ring layout to symbolize the hours of the day.
· 52 windows across these 24 state rooms to signify the weeks of the year.
· 31 rooms per floor for the maximum days of a month.
· 4 massive corner towers aligned perfectly with the cardinal directions to symbolize the four seasons.
Hans Ulrich's extensive wealth allowed the main physical structure to be completed in just 10 years, despite the war raging across Europe. After de Pomis died in 1631, master builders Pietro Valnegro and Antonio Pozzo finished the architecture.
The second major interior push came under Hans Ulrich's grandson, Johann Seyfried von Eggenberg. Beginning in 1666, he outfitted the palace with opulent Baroque decorations. Between 1678 and 1685, court painter Hans Adam Weissenkircher completed a cycle of roughly 600 ceiling paintings across the piano nobile (the grand upper floor). This culminated in the spectacular Planetary Room, decorated with complex astronomical and mythological iconography framing the Eggenberg family as divine rulers of their own calculated universe.
3. The Rococo Transition & The Herberstein Era (18th–19th Century)
The male lineage of the House of Eggenberg came to an abrupt end in 1717 with the premature death of the 13-year-old Prince Johann Christian II. Following a division of estates, the palace passed to the last Eggenberg princess, Maria Eleonora, and her husband, Johann Leopold Count Herberstein, in 1754.
Between 1754 and 1763, the Herbersteins modernized the piano nobile state rooms to match the fashionable Rococo aesthetic. They also incorporated three distinct Far Eastern side rooms decorated with rare East Asian silk and porcelain panels. Crucially, they chose to leave the core architecture, the 17th-century ceiling paintings, and the Planetary Room entirely intact.
During the 19th century, the family focused primarily on reshaping the exterior landscape, transforming the rigid, formal Baroque palace gardens into a sprawling, romantic English landscape park. Because the family spent more time at other estates, the palace interiors essentially became an untouched time capsule.
4. Modern Era, Preservation & UNESCO Listing (20th Century–Present)
The Herberstein family retained ownership of the property until 1939, when the entire complex and its 18-hectare park were purchased by the state of Styria. Management of the palace was transferred to the Universalmuseum Joanneum, the oldest public museum network in Austria.
While the palace suffered damage during World War II and the subsequent post-war Allied occupation, extensive structural restorations successfully repaired the estate. Schloss Eggenberg finally reopened to the public in 1953.
Because the 24 grand state rooms have been preserved for over 250 years without the introduction of modern electricity or heating systems, they maintain a rare level of absolute historical authenticity. Recognizing this architectural and historical significance, UNESCO expanded its protection of the Graz Historic Old Town in 2010 to formally include Schloss Eggenberg as a joint UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Getting There
Schloss Eggenberg is situated on the western edge of Graz at Eggenberger Allee 90. It is easily accessible via the local public transit system:
· By Tram (Recommended): Take Tram Line 1 directly from the city center (e.g., from Hauptplatz or Jakominiplatz) heading toward Eggenberg/UKH. Disembark at the Schloss Eggenberg stop. From there, it is a flat, scenic 5-minute walk along the perimeter wall to the main park entrance. Alternatively, you can take Tram Line 7 to the Eggenberger Allee stop, followed by an 8-minute walk.
· By Car: If you choose to drive, paid street parking is available in the municipal green zone directly in front of the park gates.
Visiting Information
The estate is managed as a split experience between the outdoor park landscape and the historic indoor museums.
1. Operating Hours
· The Palace Park & Gardens: Open daily year-round. During the current winter stretch (November 1 through March 14), the gates are open from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM. The landscape remains open on public holidays but closes completely on Christmas Day (December 25).
· The State Rooms & On-site Museums: The interior state rooms, the Alte Galerie, the Archaeology Museum, and the Coin Cabinet are currently closed for their annual winter recess. They will reopen for the spring and summer season on March 20, 2027, running Tuesday through Sunday from 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM.
2. Admission & Entry Fees
Tickets can be purchased at the main entrance gates or via the official Universalmuseum Joanneum portal:
Ticket Type Adults Seniors / Reduced Students (19–25) Youth (6–18) Under 6
Palace Park Day Ticket Around €3 Around €2.50 Around €1.50 Around €0.50 Free
State Rooms Ticket (Includes guided tour & 24h museum access) Around €20 Around €17 Around €10 Around €5 Free
Note: Free entry to the park grounds and museums is fully covered if you carry a valid regional Graz Card.
3. Important Logistics to Know Before You Go
· Mandatory Guided Tours: The 24 historical state rooms on the upper floor can only be viewed by participating in an official 50-minute guided tour. You should reserve your tour slot at the ticket counter immediately upon arrival.
· Walking Distances: The estate is massive. Once through the main ticket gate, you will need to complete a roughly 300-meter unpaved walk across the gravel courtyard to reach the palace facade. Ensure you wear comfortable walking shoes.
· No Modern Utilities Inside: To preserve the rare structural authenticity of the 17th-century interiors, the piano nobile state rooms contain no modern heating or electrical systems. They are illuminated entirely by natural window light and original candle chandeliers. If you plan a tour during the chilly shoulder seasons, dressing in warm layers is highly recommended.
· Strict Photography Policy: While you are welcome to take as many pictures as you like of the peacocks and palace exteriors, indoor photography is strictly forbidden inside the historic state rooms to protect the historic tapestries and ceiling frescos.
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