Photo: Helmut Schweighofer

Schloss Pöllau

Pöllau, Styria

burgführung

In the midst of Pöllau stands the current castle and former Augustinian Canons' monastery. In 1482, Hans von Neuberg, the then owner of the castle and the market town of Pöllau, bequeathed in his will that the castle should be converted into an Augustinian Canons' monastery after his death. The Pöllau Monastery was finally founded 22 years later. In the same year, eight canons moved to Pöllau under Provost Ulrich from the Vorau Monastery. Between 1677 and 1779, the monastery was rebuilt and expanded. The layout of the church and the massive dome were modeled after St. Peter's Basilica in Rome — hence the building is often colloquially called the "Styrian St. Peter's Basilica." However, the Pöllau Monastery was dissolved six years later as part of the Josephinian reforms and handed over to the state. Yet, the nearly 300-year activity of the canons made Pöllau the spiritual, cultural, and economic center of the Pöllau Valley. Today, the castle is owned by the market town of Pöllau. The parish church and the eastern wing belong to the Diocese of Graz-Seckau. It houses event spaces such as a large and a small frescoed hall, refectory, seminar and exhibition rooms, the music school Pöllau-Vorau-Joglland, rehearsal rooms for the renowned music band, as well as the tourism office and more. The Schloss Pöllau with its courtyards can be visited externally at any time; the interior rooms can only be visited as part of a castle tour. This location is also perfect for celebrations of all kinds. For appointment arrangements, please contact the market town of Pöllau directly. "SAM" stands for "Sammeltaxi Oststeiermark" and fills the mobility gap where buses and trains do not run. The SAM stop at the castle (north side) is HF 5943; additional stops can be found here.