Seggau#

Seggau, southern Styria, complex of palaces on Leibnitzer Schlossberg hill on the municipal territory of Seggauberg. Education centre of the Graz-Seckau Diocese and former summer residence of the bishop in the west of the town of Leibnitz. Owned by the archbishop of Salzburg in 860; one part of the castle was assigned to the bishop of Graz-Seckau in 1218 and, at the same time, the castle was given the name "Seckau" (today´s spelling has existed since the 19th century). Its southern part belonged to Salzburg until 1595, re-built after destruction during the Hungarian Wars 1495-1519. In 1595 the three former castles, along with the market town and territory of Leibnitz, were transferred to the bishopric of Seckau. - Arcaded courtyard (mid-17th century and 1690) with 132 inscriptions from Roman times and reliefs from Flavia Solva, most outstanding stone monuments of the province in the lapidarium. The bell-tower contains one of the largest bells of Styria, the "Seggauer Liesl" (1688) made by Florentin Streckfuss; Old Chapel (parish church since 1927), with Gothic core and rich Baroque stucco; four princes´ rooms with early Rococo interior and large Baroque picture gallery. The section formerly housing the kitchen, the stable, the granary etc. was turned into an education centre in 1955-60, new chapel with magnificent stained structural glass windows featuring the Apocalypse by A. Wickenburg.

Literature#