Well hidden in a gorge formed by the river Feistritz, not visible from distance – maybe one of the reasons why the castle has never been taken. The castle with its five floors stands tall on an east-west facing rock and is still lived in. Arriving at the spacious, but well filled guests parking space, we walk in between enclosures of the wildlife park Herberstein with emus, kangaroos and other exotic animals towards the historical garden. There simply has to be time for a short break in this wonderful garden!
The garden is split into sections according to human traits:
– Green represents harmony and hope that nature is renewing itself
– Blue stands for fidelity and consistency through serenity
– Yellow shows a cheerful mind through the power of sunshine
– White is synonymous with lightness and purity
Today we continue on, pass by the Moarhof and the former blacksmith and finally arrive the castle’s gates.
The guided tour starts right behind the main gate. So called blind arcades form a wonderful, square inner courtyard. In former times three castle moats surrounded the living quarters, but were gradually overbuilt and the fortified towers included into the building. While listening to the stories about all the annexes, overbuildings and additions and meandering through the castle, one loses track of one’s location. Thankfully models of the castle help us understand its structure and our location.
However, a castle is only complete with knights and heroes and suits of armour. Such a suit may well weight up to 30kg and it was impossible to dress oneself alone. We learn that a suit of armour consists of seven main pieces – allegedly that’s where the German saying “gather your seven things” (meaning “gather all your belongings”) originates from. The view from the window shows a romantic meadow down below at the river Feistritz. After the tour there is enough time to explore the area and walk down to the river.
Our recommendation: Take a break at the river’s bank and enjoy a picnic. If you like it fancy, travel there in style with the castle’s coachman.
