Palais Khuenburg

The Palais Khuenburg is a historic city palace situated on Sackstrasse in the Inner City district of Graz.The GrazMuseum is currently located in its current premises.

The palace is located between two notable landmarks in Graz: the Reinerhof, which is the oldest documented house in the area and features the Gothic hall that belongs to the Palais Khuenburg property, and the former Palais Herberstein.During the Middle Ages, the Rein Abbey was owned by the Reinerhof.The townhouse was built in 1564 by Maximilian von Schrattenbach, who held the positions of chamberlain to Archduke Karl and governor of Styria.In 1598, Schrattenbach was granted nobility and was elevated to the esteemed rank of baron.Count Otto Ehrenreich Trauttmansdorff and war purser Johann Sebastian Schäzl became the subsequent owners of the property, acquiring it around 1630. In 1676, the property was eventually sold to Sigmund Ludwig Khuenburg.

Count Gandolf von Khuenburg commissioned the conversion of a building into an aristocratic palace in 1690.Count Joseph Dismas von Dietrichstein obtained ownership of the Palais Khuenburg in 1738 through a barter agreement.The stables have been expanded by the new owner, and they now reach all the way up to the Schloßbergfelsen.In 1789, Franz Dismas von Khuenburg, the son of the person mentioned earlier, obtained the Reinerhof property located nearby.

Archduke Karl Ludwig of Austria and his wife Maria Annunziata of Naples-Sicily rented the Palais Khuenburg from 1863 to 1866. Archduke Karl Ludwig was Emperor Franz Joseph’s brother.Franz Ferdinand of Austria-Este, who would later ascend to the Austro-Hungarian throne, was born on December 18, 1863. He was assassinated on June 28, 1914.The assassination in Sarajevo is widely acknowledged as the event that ignited the start of World War I.

Throughout the 19th century, there were several instances where the ownership of the building, along with the adjacent Reinerhof, was transferred to different individuals or entities on multiple occasions. In 1918, the Municipality of Graz eventually acquired ownership of both properties.The city of Graz repurposed the premises and used the building as a secondary school for girls from 1876 to 1938.You have the option to visit the Seebacher Federal Gymnasium and Federal Realgymnasium.During the Second World War, the palace functioned as the headquarters for the city administration and was subsequently used by the British occupying forces.The decision to demolish the building and replace it with an underground car park was made due to its deteriorating condition.The house, however, underwent a comprehensive renovation between 1969 and 1972.The former palace has been serving as the GrazMuseum, formerly known as the Graz City Museum, since 1972.

The house is a U-shaped structure consisting of four stories, with a courtyard that is roughly square in shape. The structure was constructed on a piece of land that dates back to medieval times.A notable feature of the building is a semi-circular stone portal, dating back to 1715, that stands out from its otherwise smooth front side. There is a narrow balcony located above this portal.The openwork stone parapet is designed in the style of Georg Stengg, and it showcases a stunning pattern of acanthus leaves.The gate leaves are embellished with rosettes and decorative fittings crafted from sheet metal.The stables that once led to the Schloßberg were demolished in 1977.

The staircase is equipped with balustrades for safety and support.There is very little left of the original baroque interior.Frescoes dating back to the 1730s and 1740s were discovered in 1973 in the north-west corner hall of the second floor. These frescoes were subsequently restored.