Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
HUNDERTWASSER SPA
East Styria is well known throughout Austria for its thermal activity, and in particular for the spa centres that
have sprung up around its thermal springs. Fans of the architectural style of Friedensreich Hundertwasser won't
want to miss the unusual spa
Rogner-Bad Blumau
( 03383-51 00;
www.blumau.com
;
adult/child weekdays
€41/23, weekends €50/28; 9am-11pm), near the town of Bad Blumau, 50km east of Graz. The spa has all
the characteristics of his art, including uneven floors, grass on the roof, colourful ceramics and golden spires.
Overnight accommodation includes entry to the spa.
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Murau
03532 / POP 2120
Murau, in the western reaches of the Murtal (Mur Valley) on the banks of the river, is an
attractive town filled with pastel-coloured houses. It's also surrounded by forested hills
and alpine meadows. Its close proximity to Stolzalpe to the north and the Metnitzer
mountains to the south makes it an excellent base for hiking and cycling during the sum-
mer months.
Sights & Activities
Schloss Murau
(Schlossberg 1; tours adult/child €6/3; tours 2pm Wed & Fri Jun-late Sep)
Built in 1250 by the Liecht-
enstein family, which once ruled the region, Schloss Murau assumed its present Renais-
sance form in the 17th century. Tours take you through seven rooms, including the chapel
and the
Rittersaal
(Knight's Room), where concerts are often held. The altar in the chapel
dates from 1655 and was created by masters from the town of Judenberg.
CASTLE
Stadtpfarrkirche St Matthäus
(Schlossberg 8; dawn-dusk)
Situated just below the castle, this restored church has Gothic
and baroque elements that work surprisingly well together, especially in the combination
of the Gothic crucifixion group (1500) and the baroque high altar (1655). The beautiful
frescoes date from the 14th to the 16th centuries.
CHURCH
Brewery Museum
MUSEUM
