Short info:
- Where is Steyr? Steyr is located at an altitude of 310 m in the foothills of the Alps in Upper Austria on the border with Lower Austria.
- Is the visit worth it? Yes, Steyr is a city worth seeing with many architectural beauties.
- What are the highlights? The town hall, Bummerlhaus, Lamberg Castle, the Sternhaus, the castle garden and much more.
- What is produced in Steyr? Here are the seats of BMW, Hartlauer, Steyr Automotiv and Motors (the tractors)
First things first. Steyr is not located in Styria (Styria), as one might assume, but rather in beautiful Upper Austria. After Linz and Wels, it is the third largest in the federal state and the twelfth largest in Austria. Almost 40,000 people currently live here.
In fact, Steyr is a city really worth seeing, here is a list of the highlights:
The town hall
The Steyr town hall at Stadtplatz 27 is a rococo building erected between 1765 and 1778. The dominant element is the onion dome. On the balustrade and on either side of the tower are six allegorical figures (from left to right): Lady Justice with a sword, scales and blindfold, criminal law with an iron ball and chain, omniscience with the eye of God, self-knowledge with a mirror, church patronage with a censer and Roman law with a book and pillar. The facade is decorated with a clock and colossal pilasters. A trellis surrounds the balcony that protrudes above the magnificent portal.
Bummerlhaus
The Gothic “Bummerlhaus” at Stadtplatz 32 is the city’s landmark. Parts of it date from the 13th century. Owners are known since 1450. In 1473 it was sold to the wealthy merchant Georg Prandtstetter for a thousand guilders. In 1490 the property was inherited by Hans Prandtstetter, popularly known as the “rich Prandtstetter” because of his wealth.
Inside there are beautiful columns, wooden ceilings and artistically designed door fittings. In the course of the centuries, the patrician seat changed hands more often. Since the second half of the 17th century, only the wine trade and the inn remained in the house. The former “Löwenwirtshaus” owes its joking name “Bummerlhaus” to the lion on the sign above the mighty portal, which the people of Steyr called “Bummerl” because of its dog-like shape.
Sternhaus (star house)
The Sternhaus is located at Stadtplatz 12 and is essentially a medieval town house with a late Baroque façade. In Steyer there are several beautiful facades that conceal the actual gabled roofs and thus simulate a three-storey building. The front wall includes five window axes. The continuous central bay carries a pediment with a relief showing St. John the Baptist.
During World War II, during an air raid on Steyr, a bomb destroyed the left half of the house and thus part of the facade. After the war it was renovated again.
Lamberg Castle
The castle is situated on a high terrace above the confluence of the Steyr and the Enns. It was built at the beginning of the 10th century and was first mentioned in a document in 985. In 1192 the castle passed to the Babenbergs, later to the Habsburgs. The castle currently houses the premises of the police station and the Steyr City Police Command. Some rooms are also used for cultural events.
Steyr moat
Anyone who visits Steyr will surely remember the ibexes in the Lamberg moat. During our visit, someone just looked out of the window…
Citizen hospital
The Bürgerspital in the Steyrdorf district of Steyr, Michaelerplatz 2, is a building from the beginning of the 14th century. The attached former hospital church (today’s vicarage) dates from around 1500. As it was six hundred years ago, this care facility still houses old, needy townspeople today.
Tower of the parish of Steyr
First you have to overcome 228 steps to be able to enjoy the fabulous view, but the exertion is worth it! The tower can only be booked as part of a city tour. The parish was built in the Gothic style in the 15th century and is the most important sacred building in the city.