The Castle
The most impressive landmark of East Styria is situated on the rock of a volcano, which is 482m high.
As early as 1122 someone called Rüdiger von Hohenberg built a castle in this place, which was more
and more enlarged in the course of centuries. The castle got its today’s appearance, which was due to
Katharina Elisabeth von Galler, née Wechsler (‘Gallerin’) in the middle of the seventeenth century.
This colossal construction served as a refuge-camp for the population during the Turkish war and was
never occupied.
Since 1822 the family Liechtenstein has owned the Riegersburg.
Room 1: Legendary Riegersburg – legendary women
The wall is covered with emblems (coat of arms) of several lords of the castle and a short videotape
presents the castle and its history.
Room 2: The strongest fortress (castle) of the Christian world
A model on a scale of 1:100 shows the present castle grounds and indicates the castle of Lichtenegg,
which had been destroyed during an internal Styrian conflict in the fifteenth century.
Room 3: Protection and shield
On the left hand side there is a map, which shows the Eastern border of the empire in the seventeenth
century. The Riegersburg was situated only 20 km away from the outermost (furthest) edge of the
Ottoman Empire.
Room 4: The subject
In the seventeenth century, according to ‘Urbar’ (the book on the left hand side) the reign of
Riegersburg had about 1500 subjects who mostly lived under bad circumstances.
They had to work for the lord of the castle (‘Robot’) and they had to pay several taxes (‘Zins and
Zehent’). In return for this they could take shelter in the castle in the event of war.
Room 5: Superstition
Thunderstorms, for example frequent hailstorms led people to resort to irrationality, which culminated
in the witches’ trial of Feldbach between 1673 and 1675 (see witches’ exhibition).
Room 6: The Flower witch
Several legends had grown up around Katharina Paldauf. She was one of about 95 people who had
been accused of bad weather sorcery during the big witches’ trial of Feldbach. The most famous
legend tells that Katharina Paldauf was able to let flowers prosper during winter and that’s why she
was burnt to death as a witch.
Room 7: Katharina Paldauf, a witch?
In the so-called ‘witches’-room’ (please note the Pentagram on the ceiling) hangs the supposed portrait
of Katharina Paldauf. The texts inside that fire-chamber telling what happened in reality: she was
executed because of contract with the devil and hailstorm-making.
Room 8: Lady of the castle, builder-owner, well-born Gegentheilin
We are now in the manorial living quarters from around 1600. Behind the curtain there is (stands) the
Gallerin next to her four-poster. There are also a nice chest and a sedan chair.
Please note the difference between the figure, which represents the Gallerin, and her portrait on the
wall.
Room 9: Husbands
The ceiling (painting on canvas) was made by unknown Italian artists in 1589. The picture in the
middle shows the three Fates with the thread of life, the pictures at the corners show allegories of the
four seasons.
The portraits show the Gallerin’ first and her second husband. Two times she became a widow and she
got divorced of her third husband who was about 30 years younger than she was. In the background
you can hear the Gallerin who complains about her third husband.
Room 10: Fallen out with the church
The ceiling is very similar to the one in the previous room. It’s a painting on canvas by an Italian
painter, from around 1600. The picture in the middle represents the Roman general strategist Scipio
Africanus during his march into Rom. The altar of the Virgin Mary was donated by the Gallerin in
1658 and is under normal circumstances in the chapel of the castle.
The Gallerin and the main priest Strobel were disputing for years because the Gallerin accused him of
being a bad priest. The videotapes show the contracting parties reading out their respective
accusations.
Room 11: War
In the year 1664 the imperial field marshal Raimund Montecuccoli succeeded in being victorious over
a Turkish army, which was superior in numbers. This happened near Mogersdorf, which is about 20
km away from the castle. Colonel von Kapell, the Gallerin’ second husband was killed in this battle.
The arms on the floor come from the arsenal of the castle.
Room 12: The Gallerin’ different sides
The room is dominated by a beautiful tiled stove from the year 1886 with the emblem of
Liechtenstein. The furniture comes partially from the castle.
Room 13: Knights’ room
Built under Johann von Stadl in 1600 the knights’ room had a plane of about 19 x 8m and a height of
about 6 m. Beautiful wooden inlaid work on the ceiling and doors in renaissance style.
The ‘two-cords-oven’ (‘Zweiklafterofen’) with tiles from Salzburg needed up to 6 meters (2 cords)
wood for heating up the room. This scene with the feast refers to an epigraph in a windowpane: ‘In the
year of 1635 on the 6th of April a boozing was raised and since that time every day there will be a
drunkenness till the 26th’
Room 14: White Room
The summer dining room in baroque style was built under the Gallerin in 1658. The ceiling frescos are
among other things by Johann M. Otto, the court painter of Eggenberg. The epigraph above the middle
window says: ‘Building is more beautiful than lust and I am aware of what it costs.’
Room 15:
On the video-tape women and men in costumes of 18th century are dancing in the White Room.
Room 16: The Chapel
The Construction is of gothic style from around 1400 with an altar in baroque design, which is
dedicated to St. Nicholas.
Thank you for your visit, we hope that you have enjoyed it.