the castle road

In the southeast of Austria, numerous castles and fortresses invite you to the region of cultures and thermal baths. The Castles Route connects fortresses and castles, which are vibrant witnesses of great epochs. Along this "fence of the realm," the Germanic, Romance, and Slavic cultural circles converge, forming a chain of castles and fortresses as a "bulwark and bridge to the east" - the Castles Route. Styria and southern Burgenland have been the battleground for competing peoples and cultures for centuries. In recent decades, the castles and fortresses have been repurposed - many now serve as hotels, excursion destinations, museums, wedding and seminar locations, or delight you with culinary experiences.

Dive into another world and time, and feel the life and lifestyle that has grown over centuries. The places in the Thermal and Volcano Land Styria along the castles and fortresses offer relaxation and variety for the mind and body. The Castles Route takes you to the fortresses and castles of Southeast Austria around the state capital Graz. Most of them are located in Styria, with some also in Burgenland and Slovenia. The offerings at these venues are very diverse. Some host exhibitions and have impressive gardens, while others are known as former monasteries or churches, welcoming you into spacious rooms and suites, sparkling with special culinary offerings.

Tip: In some of the castles and fortresses, you can also hold weddings or corporate events. The latter can be easily combined with a seminar at the same location. Modern seminar and conference rooms are available. Particularly for children, castles and fortresses exert an almost magical allure. Therefore, at some locations along the Castles Route, there are also special guided tours for families with children - experience art, culture, and history up close, even for the little ones.

Have you always wanted to spend the night in a medieval castle? Or would you prefer to feel like nobility in a luxurious castle? At Castle Kapfenstein, Castle Obermayerhofen, and Castle Welsdorf, you can not only marry or celebrate but also spend your vacation. Enjoy peace and romance in the lovingly renovated historic rooms. Experience art and culture for the whole family. Numerous offers for a stay in a castle hotel in Austria await you.

By the way: What is the value of history? What is tradition? Architecturally preserved old substance with a cultivated guest culture? We believe that the charm of things often lies in contrasts. Visit the personalities behind the historic walls and do not be surprised by the youthful spirit you will encounter everywhere. For instance, Consul Mag. Andreas Bardeau at Castle Kornberg is probably the only castle lord who personally guides you through the opulently decorated salons of his castle, sharing witty remarks from the extensive family history of the Bardeaus - a family that has owned Castle Kornberg since 1871 and was raised to the Austrian nobility by Emperor Franz Joseph in 1911. He also leads you into his private rooms and shares the challenges he faces with the use of the castle.

Knights' castles, castle ruins, manors, and fairy-tale castles. The stuff that true vacation dreams are made of. Numerous impressive buildings in the Thermal and Volcano Land Styria line up for families, yes-sayers, art lovers, and nature enthusiasts. Romantic, mysterious, historical, adventurous: Castles and fortresses have always possessed a magical attraction. We pass walls and gates that were constructed hundreds of years ago. We stroll through magnificent gardens, feast in spacious vaulted halls, slumber contentedly in stylish chambers, and feel like princes and princesses, knights and maidens, castle lords and ladies. It need not be a dream: Many a castle now gladly hosts paying guests. The fascinating part is that with each visit, one becomes part of a unique story.

The impressive structures of the Styrian-Burgenland Castle Route take visitors on an exciting journey through time: for example, Castle Obermayerhofen, Castle Kornberg, Riegersburg, and Castle Kapfenstein.

"There has always been a high density of castles and fortresses here," says Andreas Bardeau. "From this former border situation has emerged a popular tourist attraction." Many of these houses have been saved from decay - thankfully, otherwise we could only experience the tumultuous history of the border region through numerous ruins today. Thanks go primarily to the owners who have taken it upon themselves to make their cultural heritage accessible to future generations. As the owner of Castle Kornberg with its beautiful Renaissance courtyard, jurist and agricultural investor Bardeau has created a well-known exhibition center (Orient carpets, Christmas, Easter, The little world of great castles, …). Furthermore, Castle Kornberg is regarded as an extraordinary wedding castle. Approximately 60 couples pledge their eternal love here each year. Andreas Bardeau: "Everyone wants to feel like they are in a fairy tale at least once in their life, especially on their wedding day." The knight's feasts at the castle inn at Kornberg are particularly entertaining. A classically kitschy setting, but many enjoy it, for by candlelight and torchlight, one feasts on quails, pheasants, and wild ducks or shins, smoked ribs with sauerkraut and dumplings. A table like in the Middle Ages in the vaulted hall of the knight's hall. Upon request, also with a court jester and juggler.

The matter of the yes-word is not just an important topic at Kornberg. Castle Obermayerhofen in Sebersdorf near Bad Waltersdorf is also recommended for this, a beautiful estate dating from 1170. We only say: antiques and canopy beds in the rooms, whirlpool and steam bath in the spa for two, sparkling champagne, picnic at the castle pond, homemade confectionery, candlelight dinner. And if all that still doesn’t help, there awaits a personal monogram of lanterns in the garden pavilion.

The castle is surrounded by a 17-hectare park, right in the gentle hilly landscape of eastern Styria. The garden itself is a wonderful piece of a perfect world. Favorite spots? Simply everywhere. The owner family Graf Kottulinsky personally cares for their guests. And every now and then, one might see white doves rising behind the baroque castle chapel during a visit - as a sign of a true dream wedding.

45 kilometers further south lies Castle Kapfenstein. The fortress from the 11th century perches atop an extinct volcanic cone and features two exceptional culinary attractions: the wine cellar and the restaurant. The owner family Winkler-Hermaden also runs a renowned winery, whose flagship wine has been the Zweigelt "Olivin" for over 30 years, full-bodied yet elegant, probably the best red wine in all of Styria. The noble drop is vinified by owner Georg Winkler-Hermaden and his two sons: "While I'm often removed from the cellar, the older generation is far from retired." Perfectly paired with the wines from the Vulkanland Steiermark DAC, the refined, creative, and super-light regional cuisine from Martin Winkler-Hermaden is sure to please. The head chef is keen on Kapfenstein lamb, refers to "food products" out of respect for nature instead of just "food," and advocates a healthy and honest cuisine. Additionally, at Castle Kapfenstein, one is free to enjoy an extra glass: The castle hotel offers 15 guest rooms.

Especially in western Styria, distinctive wines and castle complexes are inextricably linked. Castle Stainz, the center of the Schilcher region, was once owned by the Styrian reformer Archduke Johann, who promoted the cultivation of the Blue Wildbacher grape in the region, thereby heralding the triumph of the typically west Styrian Schilcher wine, which is still grown today in the former experimental vineyard at the foot of the castle. But Castle Piber has also developed into a west Styrian landmark. At the former imperial military stud of the castle, the world-famous Lipizzaners have been bred for 100 years and prepared for their role in the Spanish Riding School in Vienna.

The Castles Route occasionally leads to the eastern part of Austria, to Burgenland, where the castles are located at the border with Hungary. The magnificent buildings in Burgenland are symbolic structures for the turbulent, often bloody shared history of Austria and Hungary. Most of them were owned by the legendary Batthyány family, one of the most significant families in Austria-Hungary. Today, the southern Burgenland castles and fortresses are primarily one thing: cultural stages that need to be nurtured and are committed to the future: Güssing Castle, Lockenhaus Castle, and Tabor Castle, which has long become one of the most important opera stages in Austria, up to Friedensburg Schlaining, which is fully dedicated to peace research - under the motto of Alfred Nobel: "If you want peace, you must prepare for peace."

At the southernmost tip of the Castles Route, directly at the Slovenian border and near the Hungarian border lies Bad Radkersburg, an idyllic little town characterized by unique monument preservation. There’s the Town Hall Tower and Basilica from the Gothic period, the Palais Herberstorff, or the Regional Museum (Museum in the Old Armory) in one of the city's most beautiful arcade buildings. In addition, there are romantic alleyways, sun-drenched courtyards, the historic old town - and palm trees interspersed throughout. No wonder, with around 2,000 hours of sunshine a year - here, one feels more than just a hint of Mediterranean lifestyle.

Even today, the fortifications shape the appearance of the small town. It has a unique feature that differentiates it from all other castles in Styria: It is located in Slovenia. Why are we listing it here anyway? Perhaps out of sentimentality, as it was the protective fortress of Radkersburg for centuries. Since 1919, when Styria was divided between Austria and Slovenia, it has protected Gornja Radgona, formerly Oberradkersburg. Today, the borders are open again, and a quick trip to the neighboring country is always worthwhile...

In the southeast of Austria, one of the richest regions in castles and fortresses in Europe is located. Built for the protection of the country and the security of the transportation routes, the southern Styrian and southern Burgenland castles were expanded in their fortifications until the 17th century. The Castles Route connects all these structures, which tell a multitude of stories - from great epochs of the past, from the connection between tradition and modernity, from the unique culture of the regions over which they tower. On a travel distance of over 200 kilometers, you can trace these stories, learn more about the lives and activities of today’s castle lords, and peek behind the scenes of the impressive historical buildings - from Güssing Castle in southern Burgenland to Riegersburg in the Thermal and Volcano Land Styria, all the way to the west Styrian Castle Stainz in the heart of the Schilcher region and up to the north of the Wechsel region to the Festenburg.

The association "Castles Route" aims to raise public awareness of the historical significance of the buildings and to portray them in a touristically effective manner for regional future development. The goal is to achieve the inclusion of the Castles Route in the UNESCO World Heritage List.