With more than 500 castles and palaces, Slovenia, comparable in area to Styria, has an impressive treasure trove of cultural heritage and history. Unlike Styria, many of these buildings are owned by the state or public institutions. There is an active search for ways and means of restoration and sensible use, too. The desire for joint marketing and regular exchange of experience unites the castles in Slovenia and Austria. A delegation from the six Slovenian castles Slovenska Bistrica, Raijhenburg, Brezice Castle, Kostanjevice na Krki Monastery, Podsreda Castle and Sevnica Castle with historians, castle administrators and senior staff visited the Austrian Castle Road. After being welcomed by castle road initiator and chairman Mag. Andreas Bardeau at Kornberg Castle, accompanied by the Spirit of Regions agency, they visited the Vulcano ham manufactory and the “small world of great castles” in the Meierhof at Kornberg Castle.
Prince Emanuel von Lichtenstein led through the Riegersburg as part of the opening ceremony and exchanged views with the Slovenian experts as well as Mag. Georg Winkler-Hermaden at dinner at Schloss Kapfenstein. The finale of the evening took place in Sissi’s wine bar in the Altstadtgasse Feldbach.
Before the trip to West Styria, on the second day of the visit, the tour through the Feldbacher Tabor Museum and the parish church was on the program. The visitors were thrilled by the museum “Archeo Norico” Deutschlandsberg as well as by lunch in the adjoining gourmet restaurant, where the group was welcomed by mayor and therefore host Mr. Josef Wallner. The tour ended with a visit to the romantic castle Ottersbach and a meeting with lord of the castle, DI Christian Abel.
Through mutual acquaintance and building of trust between those responsible, a cross-border range of castles is getting closer, especially as the culture has changed into a wellness culture, a culture of enjoyment, a culture of movement, and networking with industry has brought “new things” to the culture.