Palais Attems

The Palais Attems is situated in the Inner City district of Graz, Austria, specifically in the federal state of Styria. It is located at the intersection of Sackstrasse and Schloßbergplatz.It is the most significant noble palace in Styria.The Small Palais Attems, which is also referred to as the Widow’s Palace, is connected to the main building.Across from Sackstrasse, you will find the Reinerhof and the Palais Khuenburg. On the same side of the street, you can visit the Trinity Church.

History

Ignaz Maria Graf Attems, the founder of the Graz line of the noble Attems family from Friuli, acquired six town houses between 1687 and 1702. These town houses were located on the site where the palace stands today.He hired the architect Johann Joachim Carlone to construct a palace in the city.There is suspicion that Andreas Stengg may be another master builder involved.The work spanned from 1702 to 1716. It is believed that Carlone utilized Genoese models for his architectural plans and dedicated his efforts to the construction of the palace until 1705.During that period, the original Sacktor continued to exist in the vicinity of Sackstrasse, serving as a component of the Gothic city wall.

Count Ignaz Maria von Attems, known for his lavish interior decorations, started assembling the most significant private art collection in Styria.The collection encompassed a variety of items such as paintings, weapons, tapestries, armor, and an extensive library.Following the owner’s death, the Palais Attems was inherited by the eldest son according to a family entail.Count Franz Dismas Attems expanded the interior between 1732 and 1750, adding numerous wall panels and tiled stoves.

Ignaz Maria II, the son of Franz Disma, expanded the collection by incorporating additional works of art that he acquired during his travels across Europe.He enhanced the equipment by adding rococo wall paneling and tiled stoves.Count Ferdinand Attems was elected governor of Styria in 1800, but the interior design work was still unfinished at that time.The wood paneling was adorned with intricate golden carvings.The decline of the Attems noble family began over a hundred years later, coinciding with the outbreak of World War I.Count Ferdinand III Attems owned the city palace from 1915 to 1946. During this time, he rented out certain rooms to the city of Graz.The gallery rooms of the art collection were opened to the public in 1933.

During the Second World War, the Palais Attems suffered significant losses of its art treasures.Even the liveries of the servants’ wardrobe had been looted.The art collection, library, and weapons collection were all damaged by a bomb in 1945. Consequently, the sales of these collections commenced in 1946.Due to the war in Yugoslavia, the Counts Attems had suffered significant losses in their property. As a result, they faced financial difficulties and had to restore their palace.

In 1958, Ignaz Maria V. Attems relocated to Vienna, leaving behind an abandoned palace.In 1962, he made the decision to sell the palace to the province of Styria.Work on renovating the north and east facades commenced two years later, followed by the renovation of the courtyard side in 1968.The process of restoring the interior took place between 1971 and 1982.

Today, the palace is home to several notable establishments, including the offices of styriarte and the Steirischer Herbst festival. Additionally, the palace houses the editorial office of the literary magazine manuSkripte, as well as two of the six Graz CV connections.Rooms are available for rent on a per-individual basis for special occasions.

Architecture

The building is shaped like a block and has four storeys. It forms a U-shape and encloses an inner courtyard that is almost square.The baroque facade is adorned with intricate stucco work by Domenico Boscho, both on the street-facing side and within the inner courtyard.The design of the facade was influenced by the architecture of palace buildings in northern Italy.Both street fronts serve as representative facades.The lower mezzanines were merged together to create a foundation area, featuring windows adorned with charming stone frames.The windows on the two upper floors are adorned with brown arches and vases that are beautifully decorated with stucco.The upper levels of the facade are distinguished from the lower section by the presence of Ionic and composite pilasters, which are separated by a cornice.

On the “Sackstrasse” side, a grand rustic round-arched stone portal emerges.The structure is surrounded by pillars with a rusticated design.The arch apex of the portal features a sandstone alliance crest, representing the Attems and Wurmbrand families.The painting symbolizes the connection between Count Ignaz Maria Attems, the builder, and his first wife, Countess Maria Regina Wurmbrand. The arbor above the coat of arms features a stone balustrade adorned with figurative representations.The carved gate leaves and their fittings date back to the time when the construction took place.The gate is secured by a wrought-iron skylight grille designed in the shape of elegant tendrils.The wrought-iron window grilles also date back to the mid-18th century.

The interior was furnished in three separate phases. The ceiling stucco work was carried out from 1706 under the supervision of Domenico Boscho. His client was Count Ignaz Maria I Attems. After 1702, Franz Carl Remp and his assistants were responsible for painting the ceiling and overdoor paintings, as well as several secco paintings. The initial phase of the design was completed by approximately 1710.

Count Franz Dismas Attems and his son Ignaz Maria II commissioned the creation of wall paneling and tiled stoves based on designs by Josef Hueber. During the third phase, under the leadership of Count Ferdinand Attems, classical carved decorations in the Josephine style were added to the wall paneling and the tiled stoves.

Ceiling stucco work featuring a transition from acanthus and foliage to band ornamentation can be observed in all rooms on the two upper floors. Furthermore, the stucco is adorned with overlays of gold, silver, and copper. The ceiling and overdoor paintings feature depictions from the Old Testament and motifs inspired by ancient mythology. The pieces from the extensive art collection were lost during the post-war period.

The portal opens up to a charming two-bay vestibule, adorned with an exquisite ceiling featuring intricate ribbon and foliage stucco decorations.On either side, there are two staircases adorned with intricate stone balustrades and lanterns mounted on stone posts, gracefully guiding the way to the upper floors.Upon entering, you will notice stone gates on both the right and left sides, adorned with pairs of stucco putti gracefully holding vases.The ground floor rooms showcase exquisite stucco work, including some in a beautiful shell style.The narrow staircase with a two-armed design in the east wing is particularly noteworthy.

The first floor was originally designed as a bel étage, intended for representative purposes. The state rooms located on this floor are considered to be some of the most exquisite examples of Austrian Baroque architecture at this stylistic level.The paintings by Franz Carl Remp feature motifs from the Bible and antiquity, as well as allegorical allusions to the family. These elements contribute to the overall representation of his artwork.The antechamber features a ceiling fresco that depicts the apotheosis of the House of Attems. The “Prunkzimmer” is adorned with a multitude of wall and ceiling paintings. In addition, there are five tapestries from the Brussels manufactory of Heinrich Reydams, as well as a tiled stove adorned with relief decoration. The room known as the “fireplace room” is adorned with multiple depictions of mythological figures.

Initially, the family’s living quarters were located on the second floor. However, they were later transformed into a library and a picture gallery.During the final stages of the Second World War, a significant portion of the opulent furnishings, including Styria’s largest private collection of paintings, was unfortunately lost.The rooms that are worth seeing include the “Great Salon,” which features magnificent ceiling paintings and is also known as the “Monkey Hall.”The exhibition features grotesque paintings showcasing exotic figures and landscapes.Bronze semi-sculpted monkeys gracefully emerge from the ceiling.The Circle of Arts and Sciences features a ceiling painting that depicts Apollo and Abundantia. This captivating artwork is beautifully framed by eight medallions. The nearby “Bird Hall” is abundant with depictions of scenes from Greek mythology. It was named after the various depictions of birds.