Stainz Castle
Castle of the Counts in the heart of Styria.
History
Residence of the "Styrian Prince".
On the southern foothills of the "Rosenkogel", in the heart of western Styria, this historic building sits enthroned above the roofs of the town of Stainz, surrounded by its own vineyards and orchards. The castle was built in 1229 as an Augustinian monastery by Luitbold of Wildon. The splendid complex has its roots in the Baroque and Renaissance periods, which is particularly evident in the church of St. Catherine with its magnificent stucco work.
The monastery was secularised in 1785 under Emperor Joseph II and became the property of the State. In 1840 Archduke Johann bought the castle from the State for 250,000 guilders. Since then, Stainz Castle has been owned by Archduke Johann's descendants, the Counts of Meran, for whom it is not just a residential but also an economic seat. Today, Franz of Meran carries forward the legacy of his famous ancestors with the utmost commitment and the application of modern business principles. The careful and responsible use of nature in Stainz Castle stands in no contradiction to the use of the latest technology and the pursuit of economic interests.
Fairytale Wedding
Be a princess for one day.
The love story of Archduke Johann and Anna Plochl is legendary. The archduke waited ten long years until his brother, Emperor Franz II, finally gave in and granted him permission to marry the postmaster's daughter of Bad Aussee. Fortunately, you dont have to wait so long for your fairytale wedding. Stainz Castle offers you every possibility - no matter how you want to celebrate your marriage to your dream prince or princess. Everything from a small, private affair to a big, flashy wedding is possible.
For the civil ceremony and the reception, the castle courtyard with its picturesque arcade, the so called "Salettl" or the castle terrace with the two powder towers offer a fairytale ambience. The Church of St. Catherine with its impressive baroque interior and rich stucco decoration provides a perfect setting for the church wedding. For the ensuing wedding banquet, the former refectory with its ornate frescoes is available for your exclusive use. The space can seat a maximum of 150 diners, though with cinema seating it can accomodate 250 persons. An internal spiral staircase leads from the refectory down into the historic wine cellar, which is also available for parties of all kinds.
Forest-related education
Experience the forest in a different way.
Do you want to see wildlife habitat at close range? Let an expert explain where hidden dangers lurk in the forest or why humans should best leave fly agaric mushrooms alone, even though deer consider them delicacies...
We offer pedagogical and subject-specific tours in the forest reserves of Stainz and "Rosenkogel" to bring you closer to the forest community. Our forester, Helmut Fladenhofer is a trained forest-pedagogue and knows the regional forest like no one else. Call and make an appointment:
Head forester Helmut Fladenhofer
Tel: +43 676 349 64 72
fladenhofer@schloss.stainz.at
Hunting & Agricultural museum
The Hunting Museum: Innovative presentation in historic walls
The museum is dedicated to the long hunting tradition in Styria. In addition to the permanent exhibition, the museum also serves as a competence center for hunting. Temporary exhibitions on the subject lure people back for a repeat visit, as well as the availability of a study collection, training and seminar offers, a library and contemporary information media.
Agricultural Museum: past, present and future of peasant work.
The Agricultural Collection is based on the progressive ideas of Archduke Johann. In 1819 he founded the k. k. Agricultural Society. An important aspect of this society was the documentation of agricultural machinery and equipment. Most of the models created then are now in the exhibition, which numbers a total of more than 18,200 objects.
Hunting & Agricultural museum, Stainz Castle
Schlossplatz 1
A-8510 Stainz
Phone.: +43 3463 27 72-16
Contact & Info
Meran Forest Administration
Mag. Katharina Offner
Schlossplatz 5
A-8510 Stainz
Phone.: +43 676 349 64 82
Map
Stainz Castle
(Styria)
