Voitsberg’s cultural history is reflected in a range of buildings and art forms: from a former monastery church with Baroque and Rococo interiors to aphorisms on the town hall façade. The history of the medieval Jewish quarter and the transformation of a former mining site are also among the themes that shape the town. If you’re looking for a hotel in Voitsberg, you can tailor your stay to these interests—whether architecture, art, or industrial history is your main focus.
Churches, architectural history, and medieval Voitsberg
St. Joseph’s Church was built between 1690 and 1708 as a monastery church. Its interior dates from the Baroque and Rococo periods. The building thus combines its original function with two influential stylistic periods. The Romhaus offers a different architectural note: it was renovated in 1536 in the Late Gothic style, with a gate and an arcaded walkway. Those interested in architectural forms and historic details will find different examples here, which cannot be reduced to a single period.
The history of the former Jewish quarter is also part of the town’s historic character. In the Middle Ages, it had its own synagogue until around 1493. The history of Obervoitsberg Castle Ruins dates back to a castle built in 1164 on land belonging to St. Lambrecht Abbey, on the orders of Ottokar IV, the ruler of Styria. Its name was first documented in 1183. These dates distinguish the castle’s construction from the later documented mention of its name.
Art on façades and in museums
At the Arik Brauer Town Hall, art is part of the façade design: in 2002, Arik Brauer decorated the façade of Voitsberg Town Hall with aphorisms rendered in imagery. He installed around 120 m² of hand-painted tiles in mosaic form on the exterior walls; they depict proverbs. The town hall also houses a permanent gallery featuring works by local artists. The façade art and gallery thus offer different points of interest—one in the public realm, the other showcasing work from the region.
The Franz Weiss Museum displays numerous woodcuts, reverse-glass paintings, early works, and unique glass pieces by the versatile artist across two floors. The Hans Deutscher Memorial, created by artists from Graz Secession in the 1950s, offers another link between art and architecture. The Kern Buam Museum, in turn, is made from wooden parts of two old farmhouses, each over 300 years old. These places differ both in their art forms and in the buildings and materials with which they are associated.
Town walks, mining history, and landscape
The historic walking tour through Voitsberg is not marked. It is a suggested route for visiting all 35 stops by the shortest way. This is different from the hiking trail that leads from Obervoitsberg Castle Ruins along the east wing of the former town fortifications into the town center. The two descriptions present different ways to explore Voitsberg’s history in the townscape: the walking tour is a suggestion, while the hiking trail has a specific starting point and route.
The Zangtal Energy Adventure Park is located on a former mining site that is gradually being transformed into a landscape park themed around mining, an art trail, energy, and nature. One of its special features is the old “Leopold” bucket-wheel excavator. In Zangtal, the site’s former mining use sits alongside the themes of the developing landscape park. Greißenegg Castle offers a different landscape setting: it is surrounded by parkland and the recreational area around Grafenteich pond.
When choosing a hotel in Voitsberg, it may help to start by asking which aspect of the town interests you most: architectural history, art in its various forms, or the transformation of a former mining site. The historic sites and the landscape park offer different themes for planning a trip, without implying a fixed itinerary.
Discover more destinations: Edelschrott, Hirschegg-Rein, Köflach, Maria Lankowitz, Voitsberg, Bärnbach, Steinberg Bei Ligist, Hirschegg-Piber-Sonnseite, Salla, Ligist, Modriach, Kniezenberg, Ligistberg, Krottendorf Bei Ligist, Dietenberg, Rauchegg, Bernau, Mooskirchen, Kleinsöding, Graden bei Köflach, Söding, Rosental an der Kainach.
For the main travel overview: Styria.
