St. Veiter Castle

The St. Veiter Schlössl, (formerly Eckhofen Castle) is a small castle in Andritz, the twelfth district of Graz. Its history dates back to the 12th century.

The St. Veiter Schlössl at Andritzer Reichsstraße 144 is a protected monument. Nearby is St. Gotthard Castle at Andritzer Reichsstrasse 160.

The St. Veiter Schlössel was formerly an old manor farm called "Weinzierl" - a term for vineyard laborers - and is located at the northern city exit of Graz. First mentioned in 1147 as belonging to Rein Abbey, it was then administered by the Stubenbergers and acquired by St. Lambrecht Abbey in 1386. Destroyed by the Turks in 1532, it was rebuilt in 1659, including a church, and was then named St. Gotthard. The actual St. Gotthard Castle was newly built between 1654 and 1659 according to plans by the master builder Domenico Sciassia, who also built the pilgrimage church of Mariazell. On June 23, 1660, Emperor Leopold I visited St. Gotthard, and in 1673 he made another stop here. In 1786, it passed into state ownership. In 1808, the church was blown up and the material was used to build an inn and improve a road. Meager remains were preserved, including the bells, which now hang in the tower of the St. Veit parish church. Since then, the castle has been in private ownership with several rapidly changing owners. In 1870, it was owned by Baron Ecker-Eckhofen and was referred to as Eckhofen Castle until after the Second World War, today called St. Veiter Schlössl, while the name St. Gotthard Castle is used for the former manor farm. In the immediate vicinity is the St. Gotthard Golf Center of the Graz-Andritz Golf Club.