Eggenberg Palace Graz: An Architecture Too Symmetrical
Eggenberg Palace (Schloss Eggenberg) is one of the dozens of UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Graz. This palace was built in the 17th century on a green and flat ground with nothing in the middle. Since it was built for the Imperial Governor Hans Ulrich von Eggenberg during the reign of Ferdinand II, it was naturally named Eggenberg Castle.
The different views put forward for space science at that time, the fact that space was an unknown power, and the fact that this palace was a symbol of power were associated with the idea of organizing it as a copy of the universe. The palace was designed in a completely symmetrical way. For example, the sun rises in the east and a certain interval of the day is used as a sundial. Many things like this were thought by adding universal meanings.
By looking at the picture you can see the connection between Eggenberg and Graz. The large area in the middle, more precisely the area just after the entrance gate to the palace garden, is full of buildings today, but there were no buildings then. You can only see the hill and the old town around it. The road from Eggenberg to the city center is still the same today. This picture was taken in 1841.
It was built precisely for a show of power, that’s why it’s so grandiose. So are the interiors. Designed in Baroque and the later art movement Rococo. The rooms in the palace are decorated with ceiling paintings from the 17th century. The guests must have been very impressed by these rooms too.
We did not enter the palace because there was not enough time. The entrance to the palace is very expensive and you can only visit the palace rooms with a tour guide. If you don’t have time, it would take more time to take a tour with a guide, but the knowledge you gain is indisputable. We only went to the garden, it is very beautiful, even one of the most valuable gardens in Austria. Less people, more green. It doesn’t come like this very often. Open between 08:00 – 19:00 during the summer season.
What are the entrance fee and visiting hours of Eggenberg Palace?
The entrance fee to Eggenberg Palace is €13 for adults and €5.50 for students. These tickets are for 24 hours. If you want to buy a 48-hour ticket, you need to pay a certain amount more. Thus, you can visit the museum and the palace whenever you want within 48 hours. It is a type of ticket designed for those who want to visit the palace in detail. If you don’t want to enter the palace and just want to walk around the palace park and garden, adults have to pay 2€ and students have to pay 1€. But this ticket is not valid for 24 hours, once you leave, the ticket is no longer valid.
Where is Eggenberg Palace? How to get there?
There is a 4km distance between the old city center and Eggenberg Palace. You can reach the palace with a walk of about 40 minutes. If you have a private car, you can reach the garden gate of Eggenberg Palace in 15 minutes.
