Short info:
- Where is Leoben located? The city of Leoben is located on the Mur in the federal state of Styria.
- How old is Leoben? Leoben goes back to a conscious founding by King Ottokar II Premysl around the year 1268.
- What can you experience here? Leoben has an old town that is well worth seeing. It is also a good starting point for excursions, e.g. the Leopoldsteiner See, Grünen See or the Erzberg adventure.
- What are the highlights? The town hall, Hacklhaus, Trinity Column, Schwammerlturm and Jakobikirche
Leoben in general
After the provincial capital Graz, Leoben is the second largest city in Styria. It is one of the most important locations of the Austrian iron and steel industry. But even if Leoben is an important industrial city, it is still very much worth seeing. The old town center was founded on a meander of the Mur river.
The Main Square
Measuring 180 x 32 meters, the main square is the heart of the city. The newly designed main square is traffic-free. There are many beautiful buildings and monuments here, including the Trinity Column (plague column), the Hacklhaus, the town hall, the Bergmannsbrunnen and the Engelsbrunnen
The town hall
The town hall on the main square was built in 1485. In 1568 it finally received its five-sided corner tower. In 1607 it was expanded to include the neighboring houses to the south.
In 1728, on the occasion of the visit of Emperor Charles VI, the coat of arms of the Habsburg lands was added to the front of the house. It was the seat of the city administration until 1973.
In 1990, the building was converted into a congress and conference center, including an adjoining shopping center and hotel. In 2022, after a two-year renovation phase, the Live Congress Leoben was completed. The shopping center was replaced by a new building and attached to the premises of the Old Town Hall. Three halls form the core of the event center, which is designed for a capacity of 1000 people.
Hacklhaus
It is probably the most beautiful house on the main square. It dates from the 16th century with a richly decorated stucco facade from the Baroque period from 1660. The four seasons are shown starting from the right: winter, autumn, summer and spring.
You can also see the Christian virtues starting from the right: strength, love, faith, justice, hope, truth. The house is named after one of its owners, Georg Hackl.
There are beautiful ceiling paintings in the staircase.
A few meters further is the Arkadenhof Schwarzer Adler inn. Here you are well in a nice atmosphere.
Trinity Column
As a plague column, which forms the center of the main square, it was designed by Johann Jacob Schoy and erected in 1718. The central column is flanked by a total of six figures of saints.
miner’s well
The Bergmannsbrunnen is located at the southern end of the main square. It was built in 1799 by master stonemason Franz Pack. It is provided with the depiction of a miner.
angel fountain
The Angel Fountain is located at the north end of the main square. It was built in 1794 by Josef Carlone. Above his pelvis is an angel holding a shield with the arms of Leoben.
Schwammerlturm (Mushroom Tower) and Mur Bridge
The Schwammerlturm, also known as the Stadtturm, is no longer on the main square, but only a few hundred meters away within sight. It was originally built in 1280. It was severely damaged by an earthquake in February 1794. When it was repaired, it received the mushroom-shaped hood that replaced the original peaked roof and to which it owes its current popular name.
If you go south, you can see Freimannsturm. Medieval Leoben ended here.
St.Jakob – Jakobikirche
It was first mentioned in a document in 1188. There are numerous art treasures from the 17th and 18th centuries. In front of it is a very nicely designed cemetery.
Asia Hotel & Spa Leoben
The award-winning combination of a spacious bathing paradise and an exclusive retreat for wellness aficionados and the modern lifestyle hotel is picturesquely situated in a spacious park on the Mur. To the hotel.