Rail & Trail "Wolfsberg - bridge town & Tudor castle jewel" (city walk)

Wolfsberg - The essence of the town
Between the gentle mountain ranges of the Saualpe and the Koralpe lies the charming town of Wolfsberg in the wide Lavanttal valley - a historic bridge town with a special flair! Important traffic routes passed through the valley early on. Around 1007, the area came to the diocese of Bamberg, which built a castle above the important Lavant crossing. As a magnificent bishop's seat, it shaped the life and economy of Wolfsberg for centuries. Around 1220/30, a planned market settlement was built at the foot of the fortress around the Meierhof. The market flourished: Trade and crafts flourished, while viticulture and fruit growing provided additional prosperity. A ring wall soon protected the growing market. But it was not until 1331 that Wolfsberg was officially granted town status. At the end of the 14th century, the suburb on the other side of the Lavant Bridge was incorporated and also fortified. This created the Upper Town, the historic market area, and the Lower Town, the former suburb, connected by the Lavant Bridge.

In 1846, the industrial pioneer Hugo Henckel von Donnersmarck acquired the castle and transformed it into today's enchanting Tudor-style palace - the town's landmark!

Wolfsberg - Discover on foot
From Wolfsberg train station, we stroll through a lively, contemporary urban space and a charming pedestrian zone to the Lavant River. A few historic streets have been preserved - a silent testimony to the Lower Town, once the suburb of Wolfsberg. With the Fleischbrücke bridge, we cross the historically important Lavant crossing. This brings us to the Upper Town, the historic market area. The town hall from 1888, one of the most beautiful buildings in the town, impresses right at the start. We stroll along the historic main street across the Hoher Platz - the civic heart of the old town. The pretty town houses from the 16th and 17th centuries tell of prosperity. At the Getreidemarkt, the Bamberg House dominates the view - once the Lower Castle. Today it houses the Haus der Region, a center for regional direct marketers. The Meierhof, around which the planned market was built, stood in this area.

Now the focus is on walking. We walk uphill along the old Schlossstraße and enter the magnificent castle park. The extensive landscaped garden from the palace's founding period is regarded as one of Austria's architectural gems. Once we reach the castle plateau, we are amazed by the exotic Wolfsberg Castle - a Tudor jewel! In 1846, the new owner Hugo Henckel von Donnersmarck had the old castle transformed into a palace in the English Gothic Tudor style. A conversion that still impresses today!

First we walk through the castle park, then gently downhill through a housing estate to the castle stream. A look back reveals the full dimensions of the castle complex. The path then leads us gently uphill through beautiful mixed mountain forest to the impressive Henckel von Donnersmarck Mausoleum - our highest point! A tomb with a hidden view down into the Lavanttal valley. The romantic descent through the dense mixed mountain forest brings peace to body and mind. We continue along the historic main street to the grain market.

The perfect end: linger and enjoy the flair of the town. The train station is not far away.