Herzogburg Castle
Introduction
The “Herzogburg” was partly built in the 13th century, during the period of the Carinthian dukes from the House of Spanheim, who also resided here. Between 1523 and 1529, it was converted into a ducal armoury.
The Herzogburg is a horseshoe-shaped castle complex incorporated into the north-eastern section of the historical town wall of St. Veit an der Glan.
The castle complex consists of several distinct components: the plain east wing with Gothic portals; a square corner tower in the northeast; the northern wing with arcades; and the western wing, which served as the residential section and features two-storey arcades.
Facing the courtyard, the residential wing features an external staircase and pointed-arch arcaded walkways. Late-Gothic stone surrounds can be found on the windows and doors. Some of the iron doors still date from the original construction period.
Since 1619, the castle complex has been in private ownership.
Architectural Description
The oldest parts of the structure, including the eastern wing and the prominent corner tower, essentially date back to the 13th century.
The eastern wing appears as a plain, three-storey building with Gothic portals, windows and doors, all with simply profiled stone frames. A sundial on the facade bears the date 1529.
At the north-eastern corner rises a massive, five-storey tower with a square ground plan, equipped with loopholes and topped by a striking pyramid-shaped roof. The adjoining northern wing once burnt down and was rebuilt to half its original height.
The west wing, once used for residential purposes, still features two-storey arcaded walkways with ribbed star vaulting and an exterior staircase. The windows and doors are framed with chamfered, partly profiled stone surrounds. Several original iron doors from the building’s early phase still survive.
The inner courtyard is enclosed by a high wall facing Burggasse. Above the entrance gate, a heraldic stone from 1524 displays the Austrian “Bindenschild” and the coat of arms of Carinthia.
From 1948 until its relocation to the former Bürgerspital, the town museum of St. Veit was housed on the first floor of the eastern wing. The origins of the museum date back to 1886.
Cultural Life
From 1948 to 2004, the castle was home to the town museum and served as a venue for notable panel discussions featuring figures such as Peter Turrini and Thomas Bernhard. Film productions such as Der Pfarrer mit der Jazztrompete also used the complex as a filming location.
From the early 2000s until 2015, the Burgkulturtage festival took place here, featuring international artists such as Bob Geldof, Chris Jagger, Eric Burdon, Roger Chapman and Rebekka Bakken.
In 2005, the Galerie Herzogburg was opened in the eastern wing. Until recently, it presented changing exhibitions of contemporary art on two floors. The western wing was also partly used as a film set.
Herzogburg Bathed in Morning Golden Light | Gallery 1
Herzogburg Bathed in Morning Golden Light | Gallery 2
Herzogburg | Forenoon | Gallery 3
Herzogburg | Afternoon | Gallery 4
Herzogburg Garden | Gallery 5
Coat of Arms on a Marble Slab | Labelled Image
Stone displaying Coat of Arms at the Herzogburg Castle Gate
Above the archway at the entrance to the Herzogburg (ducal castle), a white marble stone displaying the coat of arms is set into the wall. Originally framed by frescoes, the stone bears a double coat of arms and an inscription band with the date 1524. This date refers to renovation works carried out on the castle during that period.
Historical Background
The coat of arms on the left represents the Duchy of Carinthia, while the one on the right shows the Bindenschild – the heraldic emblem of the Habsburg dynasty.
The Bindenschild consists of a silver horizontal band on a red background and originally belonged to the ruling House of Babenberg. Its red and white colours were later adopted by the Habsburgs and remain associated with Austria to this day.
Historical Photographs
Image Source: Archive of the Municipal Authority of St. Veit an der Glan
Corner Tower of the Herzogburg
(Former Ducal Armoury)
Photograph, c. 1950
Corner Tower of the Herzogburg
Photographed from the Courtyard in 1962
Northern Wing, Herzogburg
Photographed from the Courtyard in 1962
Two-Storeyed Arcaded Western Wing, Herzogburg
Photographed from the Courtyard in 1962