Metahof-Schlössl

The Metahof-Schlössl is a small Baroque palace on the edge of the Metahofpark in Graz’s Lend district. It stands in a quiet corner of the city, surrounded by greenery and away from busy streets. The building dates back to the 16th century, when it belonged to the Eggenberg family. In 1678 it passed to the Counts of Saurau, who held it for generations. Maria Ludwig Graf von Saurau commissioned a major remodelling in 1744 under the direction of architect Joseph Hueber. The work added wings to the north, west and south, along with an orangery, glasshouse, frescoed garden pavilion and dairy. The palace later changed hands several times. In 1805 Count Kottulinsky bought it and assembled the surrounding plots into the largest private garden in Graz. When the land was divided in the late 19th century, new streets appeared around the estate. From 1889 to 1945 the Reininghaus family owned the house and used it as a meeting place for Graz’s cultural figures. Writers such as Peter Rosegger, Wilhelm Kienzel and Karl Morré gathered here regularly. After wartime bombing damaged the park and its entrance gate, the palace fell into neglect. In 1963 parts of the structure were demolished, and plans were briefly considered to demolish the whole building. The city of Graz took it over in 1979 and converted it into office space for rent. Today the remaining wings and the surviving garden pavilion still show traces of its grander past.