City: Styria
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What to do and see in Styria, Austria: The Best History Museums
Styria (German: Steiermark, German pronunciation: [ˈʃtaɪ̯ɐˌmaːk] ( listen), Slovene: Štajerska, Hungarian: Stájerország, Czech: Štýrsko) is a state or Bundesland, located in the southeast of Austria. In area it is the second largest of the nine Austrian federated states, covering 16,401 km (6,332 sq mi). It borders Slovenia and the Austrian states of Upper Austria, Lower Austria, Salzburg, Burgenland, and Carinthia. The capital city is Graz which had 276,526 inhabitants at the beginning of 2015.
Restaurants in Styria
1. Das Heimatmuseum Rauchstubenhaus
2. Riegersburg Castle
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 249 reviews
Riegersburg Castle is situated on top of a 482 m dormant volcano. The "strongest fortress of Christianity" was first mentionend 1138. The Riegersburg is the property of the princely family of Liechtenstein sind 1822 who endeavour to preserve and restore the fortress. Make an art history time travel in the castle from the Gothic chapel over to the Renaissance Knights Hall and to the Baroque White Hall. The fortress is easily accessible by lift, situated north of the castle. You can also enter the Riegersburg climbing up the footpath through the 7 archways. For the ascent you need about 20 minutes. For the adventurous there is the via ferrata.
Reviewed By Boulder11 - Boulder, United States
Don't let some of the negative reviews stop you from seeing this well-preserved middle-ages castle set in a unique location, at the top of a dormant volcano. This provided the castle with only 1 side to protect, the other three being sheer drop-offs! While the signage is in German, the castle and each of the two museums have well-written English handouts that clearly describe what you are seeing. The neighboring valley is beautiful with lots of vineyards and scattered villages. If traveling to Graz and/or the Styrian region of Austria, I think this is a worthwhile stop. We paid 16 euros each for the lift/funicular up and down and the admissions to the castle and museums and felt this was a fair asking price. We did not inquire about the falconry show. The view is so spectacular, plan on stopping in the tavern for ice cream, a beer, or some wine, and enjoy the vista.
3. GrazMuseum
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 32 reviews
Reviewed By CarolDM1900 - Montpelier, United States
I wish we'd stopped here before heading to the Schlossberg. We'd have understood more about the fraught history of that place. We did learn a lot afterwards, however, by wandering through this splendid museum. There is something here for everyone, from the casual visitor seeking "impressions" to the serious history buff demanding "knowledge." The exhibitions were thoughtfully done to create interesting pathways to understanding about the complex past of this fine old city. The artifacts on display are diverse -- everything from a very detailed model of the fortress as it appeared before 1809 when Napoleon ordered its destruction, to the great variety of homely objects giving good insights into everyday life, to the very well-developed thematic presentations on sometimes controversial topics, with material objects that breathe life into them. As one example of the latter, we were fascinated by the grotesque "mask of shame" that illustrated one of the unsavory aspects of the theme "crime and punishment." As the interpretive sign explained, this crude metal face mask enforced social norms through public humiliation. "Defamatory offenses," like slander, were punished in this way. And there were worse punishments, all of them richly detailed here. I found it laudable that the museum treated so many controversial subjects in an objective, unvarnished, self-critical way, dealing with things as unsettling as anti-semitism, misogyny, religious intolerance, and political and economic oppression. How refreshing for a city museum to reveal the faults as well as the merits of the culture and society that it explains and interprets for both visitors and residents. I also liked the comparative approach aimed at showing how and why Graz evolved in ways different from places like, say, Salzburg. This greatly enhanced understanding by putting the Graz into context with others places undergoing their own social, economic and political development, and in so doing it broadened perspectives beyond a single city. When I left here, I felt intellectually enriched. The main exhibition is organized into 12 "blocks," each chronologically identified as representing a period of years. There are treasures all about: wonderful old paintings and engravings that show what life was like hundreds of years ago in Graz's main square, with the great fortress looming above; and unique objects, including a massive ceremonial sword from the early middle ages, adorned with 14 silver buckles wrapped around blue velvet covering the hilt and the sheath, its blade engraved with the names of all the city administers. The "magisterial sword" was handed down to Graz's leaders, first the judges and then the mayors once that office was introduced. I say "handed down," but it's beyond me how any single person could have lifted such an object, which is also way longer than I am tall. This official symbol of jurisdiction, going back to the early middle ages, is simply spectacular. Bottom line: There is much to see at this museum, and one could easily spend several hours here. If your time or your interest is more limited, it is still worth your while to come here, to take from the experience what is valuable to you personally. I don't think you will be disappointed, and I know you will be better prepared to get the most out of your visit to Graz. Highly Recommended.
4. Sensenwerk Deutschfeistritz
5. Kammerhofmuseum Bad Aussee
6. Heimatmuseum in Tabor
7. Stadtmuseum Judenburg
Overall Ratings
4.0 based on 5 reviews
Historisches Museum, Archiv und Dokumentationsstätte für Judenburg und das Obere Murtal. Das Stadtmuseum Judenburg gilt als Kompetenzzentrum für die Geschichte der Region und als Anlaufstelle für alle historisch Interessierten. + Dauerausstellung auf 3 Stockwerken mit Objekten aus 1000 Jahren Judenburger Leben und Geschichte + Fotosammlung mit mehr als 70.000 Bildern, Negativen + Umfassendes Dokumenten- und Schriftenarchiv einer breiten Vielfalt an historischen Quellen ab dem 16. Jahrhundert Vermittlungsangebot und Veranstaltungen + regelmäßige Sonderausstellungen zu Geschichte, Kultur und Kunst + Führungen durch die Dauerausstellung + Themenführungen + Lesungen und Vorträge Serviceangebote + öffentlich zugängliche Fachbibliothek mit "Judenburgensia", Sachbüchern und Periodika + wissenschaftliche Beratung und Hilfestellung bei Familienforschung, Haus- und Hofgeschichte und wissenschaftlichen Arbeiten.
8. Museum Hartberg
Overall Ratings
4.0 based on 1 reviews
9. Museum fuer Geschichte
Overall Ratings
4.0 based on 34 reviews
The History Museum presents the History of Styrian society from various perspectives from the high middle ages to the present.
10. Schloss Grosssolk
Overall Ratings
4.0 based on 1 reviews
