Page 278 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Austria

276  A USTRIA REGION B Y REGION

P Neuer Platz
Neuer Platz.
The square is dominated by
Lindwurmbrunnen (Dragon
Fountain), whose winged beast
has become the symbol and
crest of the town. The dragon
was carved from a single block
of stone by Ulrich Vogelsang,
in 1593, while the giant who
eventually saved the town
was added later by Michael
Hönel. The unveiling of this
monument in 1636 was a
great public event.
In 1764, Neuer Platz was
the site of the first monument
to be erected to Maria Theresa
in Austria. The square is lined
on all sides by many 16th- and
17th-cen tury mansions with
Market in the historic Old Town of Klagenfurt beautiful façades.
The Town Hall, formerly
Exploring Klagenfurt Commissioned by the Carinthian the Palace of the Rosenberg
Klagenfurt lies south of the Glan estates, it was built in 1574 on family, has been the seat of
river, 30 km (19 miles) from the the site of a former ducal palace the municipal authorities
Slovenian and 60 km (37 miles) to designs by Antonio Verda of since 1918. Built in 1582 and
from the Italian borders. Its Old Lugano and Franz Freymann. The altered in 1650, it has an
Town, laid out on a rectangular resulting structure is Klagenfurt’s interesting Renaissance
grid, extends between Hauptplatz, most important secular building stairway. Originally outside
Alter Platz and Neuer Platz. It is and a Renaissance gem, with the town walls surrounding
4 km (2 miles) from Wörthersee; two symmetrically spaced Spanheim Castle, it became
the road to the lake runs spires, beyond which is an open the centre of the new
through Europapark and the two-storey, galleried courtyard. Renaissance town.
Minimundus exhibition. The domes crowning the two
towers and the decorated
P Landhaus elevation date from 1740.
Landhaus. Tel (0463) 577570. The most beautiful
Open Apr–Oct: 9am–4pm Mon–Fri, room in the Landhaus, the
9am–2pm Sat; Nov–Mar: 9am–4pm Wappen saal (heraldic hall),
Thu–Fri, 9am–2pm Sat. & 8 = dates from the same period.
The Landhaus, the present It is almost entirely the work
seat of the Carinthian provincial of Josef Ferdinand Fromiller,
government, stands on the the foremost Carinthian artist
western side of Alter Platz. of the day. The walls of the
hall display hundreds of
Carinthian coats of arms, The pretty 17th-century Old Town Hall in Alter Platz
while the ceiling paint ing
shows Carinthian nobles R Dom St Peter und Paul
paying homage to Charles VI; Domplatz. Tel (0463) 54950.
the flat ceiling is made to look Open 7am–7pm daily.
vaulted in this trompe l’oeil. The Klagenfurt’s cathedral was
north wing houses the remains built in 1578 as a Protestant
of the armoury. church by Klagenfurt’s mayor,
Many old buildings have Christoph Windisch. In 1604, the
survived in the town centre church was taken over by the
near by, including the Old Town Jesuits, and was elevated to the
Hall with a galleried Renaissance rank of cathedral in 1787, when
courtyard. The Trinity Column the bishopric was transferred
in Alter Platz, heart of the from Gurk to Klagenfurt. In
shopping district, dates from 1723, following a fire, the late-
1680; the crescent and cross Gothic interior was rebuilt in
The attractive, galleried courtyard of were added after the victory the Baroque style. The cathedral
the Landhaus over the Turks (1683). was badly damaged in World
For hotels and restaurants in this region see p299 and p325

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Eyewitness Travel LAYERS PRINTED:
Catalogue template “UK” LAYER
(Source v2.1)
Date 5th December 2012
Size 125mm x 217mm