Schloss Hardt

Schloss Hardt stands in the village of Thal in western Styria, replacing an earlier farmstead. Built in the early 17th century by Bernhard Walther von Walthersweil, it was later owned by the Reininghaus family from 1864 until 1939. During the Second World War the family emigrated, and the estate passed to the Reichsgau of Styria and later to the federal state of Styria.

The Reininghaus family expanded the castle and grounds before losing possession in 1939. After the war the site became home to a branch of the Grottenhof agricultural college, operating as the Landwirtschaftliche Fachschule Grottenhof-Hardt until 2019. For a time it housed the Thal primary school, and today it serves as a centre for horse management under the same college.

The protected castle building now houses several businesses while the surrounding grounds remain in use for education. The estate’s long history is visible in its architecture and layout, offering a quiet setting close to the village centre.