Gösting Castle is a fortress built in the 11th century. The architectural structure of the castle was expanded until the 15th century, when protective walls were added to protect against the Turks and Hungarians. In the 18th century, the castle was bought by the Atterns family, but in the same period a lightning strike caused a fire. Most of the castle was destroyed by this fire. Afterwards, the family that owned the castle did not have it rebuilt and over time it turned into a self-destructing ruin, where even the intact structures lost themselves.
Gösting Ruins or Gösting Castle Ruins can be visited today, but most of the castle is in ruins. Although the tower and its surroundings are still standing, it has a deserted air. Since it is far away, the number of visitors is quite low.
Beyond the walls, a visit to this castle is primarily a short walk. A walk in nature, among the trees, in unfamiliar territory. When you get to the top of the hill, the view of Graz changes, this hill is one of the places where you can see the view of Graz. You can even climb the tower and see the castle and the view from higher up.
Where is Gösting Castle and how to get there?
To reach the castle and the ruins, you must first arrive in the Gösting district of Graz. You can start climbing up the hill from the Schlossplatz road. At the beginning of the climb, you need to enter from the point where there is a cafe called Cafe Konditorei Renn. It can be a bit tiring as you will have to walk 1300 meters to a height of about 170 meters, which means a half-hour walk. If you are going by car, of course, go up to the last point that the car can reach. There are also buses 40, 48 and 85 from Gösting bus station.
The Attems family did not rebuild the castle because they preferred a more modern structure. They built a palace for themselves in Gösting. The building called Schloss Gösting at the bottom of the hill leading to the castle belonged to this family. If you want to see it, you can also visit this building at the beginning of the walking path.
