Episcopal Palace

The Bishop’s Palace, also referred to as the Bishop’s Court or Prince-Bishop’s Palace, currently serves as the residence for the Episcopal Ordinariate of the Diocese of Graz-Seckau.The location of the place is Bischofplatz, which is situated in the first district of Graz, known as Inner City.

The palace was founded in 1254 when Ottokar von Graz, from the Udalrichinger family, generously gifted his house to Bishop Ulrich von Seckau.During that period, the building remained situated outside the medieval city wall and was not incorporated until 1265/67.In 1272, Bishop Wernhard von Marsbach acquired an additional building.In 1287, Bishop Leopold, the successor of his predecessor, dedicated the house chapel to John the Baptist. Presently, the chapel is known for its patronage of the Holy Trinity.Between 1481 and 1502, significant expansion work was undertaken.In 1613, Bishop Martin Brenner added a library to the establishment.The prince-bishop’s palace in Graz served as a boarding house in the Styrian capital because the bishop’s official seat was in the Upper Styrian cathedral chapter of Seckau.The bishopric has been located in Graz since 1786.

The expansion to its current size was only undertaken after the episcopal residence was transferred from Schloss Seggau to Graz.Following Emperor Joseph II’s regulation of the dioceses, the palace was ultimately designated as the official residence of the prince-bishop for the diocese of Graz-Seckau.The unification of the existing building fabric did not occur until the early 19th century, during the reign of Prince Bishop Joseph Adam von Arco.A new chapel has been established on the first floor. Additionally, a new facade has been commissioned and the portal has been adorned with a coat of arms cartouche.After the death of master builder Joseph Stengg in 1782, Christoph Stadler continued the planning process.In 1860/61, Prince Bishop Ottokar Maria Graf von Attems commissioned the architect Joseph Mixner to undertake a historicist redesign of the west wing.

The construction of the south wing was carried out between 1902 and 1903, with master builder Johann Guido Wolf overseeing the project.The establishment of a chapel dedicated to the Holy Trinity took place in the south wing in 1927.The bishop’s palace suffered significant damage, particularly to its south wing, due to a bomb explosion on November 1, 1944.The portal, which was created by Johannes Piringer in 1782, has been completely destroyed.The reconstruction, which was carried out by architects Harald Bleich and Franz Ignaz Gallowitsch, took place between 1947 and 1950.The portal has been restored in a simplified manner.The Episcopal Palace underwent expansion at the start of the 1960s.At present, both the bishop’s see and the episcopal ordinariate are located on the premises.

The Bishop’s Court encompasses various stylistic epochs as a whole.The oldest section of the building is the east wing, which was constructed in the second half of the 13th century. It features vaults in the basement and on the ground floor.The construction of the north wing took place approximately in the year 1500.Today, the stone door jambs from the late Gothic period still serve as a testament to its architectural style.The second-floor ballroom showcases exquisite 19th-century ceiling frescoes.It is likely that Franz Anton Stecher created the representations of St. Mary and St. Benedict.

During the 13th century, Bishop Leopold oversaw significant expansion efforts. Later, in 1454, the bishop’s court underwent extensive renovation and rebuilding.The dining room was transformed into a chapel for the house.The building was extended around 1781 by Prince Bishop Count Joseph Adam von Arco, following plans designed by Joseph Stengg.The west wing was constructed in 1861 by architect Joseph Mixner, and the south wing was added in 1903 under the direction of Johann Guido Wolf.

The complex suffered extensive damage from bombings during the Second World War.One of the consequences was the destruction of the Josephine-classical portal, which featured a coat of arms representing the diocese.The vibrations caused by the bomb hits revealed wall paintings from around 1270 that had been previously concealed on the first floor.The artworks display symbolic depictions from both the Old and New Testaments, characterized by a distinctive Romanesque jagged style.These wall paintings in the city of Graz are the oldest ones that have survived.

The Episcopal Palace underwent reconstruction from 1947 to 1950, following the architectural plans of Bleich and Gallowitsch. The main focus of the renovation was the standardization of the main façade, the portal leading to the inner courtyard, and the entire south wing.The reconstructed staircase’s neo-baroque wrought iron railings have the potential to be reused.