Page 177 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Austria

ST Y RIA  175

a German stronghold during brought to his attention,
World War II. The present castle he set about developing
dates from the 17th century. them. A shrewd
The fortress is surrounded and businessman, he soon
defended by a 3-km- (2-mile-) turned this quiet corner
long wall with eleven bastions, of southeastern Styria
seven gates and two moats, into a modern resort
and can only be approached that attracted visitors
by a long steep climb. with its promise of
A good handful of the castle’s painless treatments for
rooms serve as a museum. heart disease, circulatory
One section is dedicated to an and respiratory ailments,
extensive collection of armour problems of the digestive
and armoury. Dating from the tract and rheumatic
Middle Ages to the 17th century, conditions. Consequently,
the weapons include swords, Bad Gleichenberg
pistols and rifles, and range became one of the most
from those used during warfare popular destinations for
to those kept for hunting. the health-conscious
Several rooms explore the Austrian aristocracy,
lives of the Liechtenstein family, who also congregated
now owners of the castle, who on the local promenade, Octagonal tower of the late-Gothic town hall,
played an important role in and in the magnificent Bad Radkersburg
the turbulent history of Austria park, which now displays
and Europe. The Witches’ statues of its former visitors late-Gothic town hall, with its
Museum looks at the Styrian hidden among the octagonal clock tower topped
witch trials of the 17th shrubbery. The town has by a belfry. The Marian or Plague
century; it features many surviving villas and Column in the square dates
gruesome instruments Secession-style palaces; from 1681, and the surrounding
of torture and grim tales one of the most houses with their patios and
of persecution. beautiful is the shaded galleries are the former
In the castle’s first old theatre, now homes of noblemen and rich
courtyard stands a housing a cinema. citizens. The house at No. 9
monu ment to soldiers once belonged to the Von
killed during World Environs: A short way Eggenbergs, one of Styria’s
War II. Beyond the north of the spa town, most powerful families.
second moat, in the in Gleichenberg village, Like many of its neighbours,
inner courtyard, you stands the medieval Bad Radkersburg is also a spa
will find a well Schloss Kornberg. Built as town and health resort whose
surrounded by an a fortress in the 13th cen- health-giving mineral waters
intricate wrought-iron tury, it was transformed attract numerous visitors.
enclosure featuring a Statue of Graf von into a residential palace
horseshoe. Is it said Wickenburg, Bad in the 17th century.
that those who Gleichenberg Today it is a two-storey
succeed in tracing castle complex with
the horseshoe among the four towers, and a magnificent
intricate decorations may Renaissance courtyard.
count on good luck.
e Bad Radkersburg
w Bad
Gleichenberg Road map F5. * 3,100. £ @
n (03476) 25450.
Road map F5. * 5,500. @
n (03159) 2203. Bad Radkersburg, on the
∑ bad-gleichenberg.at Slovenian border, was founded
as a town in 1265 by the
Once the most popular health Bohemian King Ottokar. Once a
resort in Styria, Bad Gleichenberg fortified border post as well as
was developed in 1834 by an important trade centre and
Matthias Constantin Capello transhipment harbour on the
Graf von Wickenburg. When the Mur river, today it is a peaceful
therapeutic properties of the small town, which still bears
local spring waters – already many signs of its former glory. Plague Column on Hauptplatz in
known to the Romans – were In the main square stands the Bad Radkersburg

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