Schloss Großlobming

Schloss Großlobming stands at the southern edge of the village of Großlobming in Lobmingtal, a valley in the Murtal district of Styria. The three-storey building with its central projection was designed by Ignaz Plasch between 1777 and 1779 and later altered in the 19th century. Three outbuildings—a steward’s house, an old administrative court and stables—complete the ensemble. In 1980–81 the castle was converted into an agricultural college and enlarged with a new wing designed by Szyszkowitz + Kowalski opposite the main building. The castle’s history begins in the mid-14th century when it became the seat of the Lobminger family. From 1499 to 1730 it belonged to the Saurau family, then passed to the Welsersheim line. A notable feature is the chapel beside the castle, which houses an over-life-size stone statue of St John of Nepomuk flanked by two angels, carved in the second quarter of the 18th century. The statue’s pedestal bears the Welsersheim coat of arms. Visitors find a symmetrical three-storey façade with a central projection rising above the entrance. Inside, the converted agricultural school uses the original spaces while the new wing provides modern classrooms. The chapel remains a quiet space for reflection, its statue and heraldic details preserved from the Welsersheim era. The surrounding village and valley offer gentle walking through farmland and wooded slopes.