Fürstenstand

The Fürstenstand is the highest summit of the Plabutsch, a 754-metre mountain rising steeply above Graz in the Steiermark. The Plabutsch forms part of the city’s western skyline, its slopes falling away sharply on all sides except the south, where the land gradually lowers toward the Buchkogel and Kaiserwald terrace. The northern face drops over the Thaler Bach to Gösting, and this steep northern ridge is crowned by the Fürstenstand. Nearby peaks include the Mühlberg to the south and the Hubertushöhe to the east, while the Göstinger Ruinenberg lies just beyond the Thaler Bach. The Fürstenstand warte began as a wooden lookout built in 1839 after Emperor Franz I and his wife Caroline visited the site. The stone tower that replaced it in 1852 has an unusual spiral form, designed by Franz Hauberisser under plans by Johann Neuwerth. The tower bore several names over the years, including Adolf-Hitler-Turm during the 1930s, and served as a flak tower in the Second World War. After years of closure for safety reasons, the restored lookout reopened in May 2024 with a new steel-and-timber structure and a refurbished inn. Visitors now reach the summit by a five-kilometre road that climbs from Graz-Wetzelsdorf over the Gaisbergsattel. The refurbished warte offers panoramic views across Graz and the surrounding countryside. A small restaurant serves food and drink, and the slopes below provide walking and cycling routes. The old chairlift base and route remain visible, and plans are being discussed to rebuild the lift on its original alignment. The entire site is protected as a historic monument.