Obervoitsberg Castle

To bring the road Graz - Judenburg under the control of the Graz government, the Styrian sovereign Otakar IV commissioned the two sub-bailiffs of St. Lamprecht, Gottfried von Dürnstein and Konrad von Kienburg, in 1173 to build this fortress and named it Vogtesperch. This castle was princely property and was first mentioned in 1183.

The next owners of the castle were the Babenberg Dukes Leopold V, in 1192 Leopold VI, in 1194 the actual founders of Voitsberg. From 1230, Frederick the Warlike was the owner. In 1246, the castle was the winter residence of Duchess Gertrudis, a niece of the last Babenberg. In 1250, with the death of Emperor Frederick II, a terrible, rulerless period began.

Banditry became rampant. From 1260 - 1278, Bohemian mercenaries resided in the castle. Afterwards, Obervoitsberg came back into the possession of the sovereign, then Rudolf von Habsburg's firstborn son Albrecht. From 1283 - 1626, the fortress was administered by bailiffs and pledge holders. For over 100 years, the Racknitz family administered the castle. In 1626, Count Sigmund Wagensberg, the owner of Greißenegg Castle, bought the fortress. In 1798, the castle was destroyed by lightning and fire. In 1877, the Counts of Wagensberg had to declare bankruptcy. Obervoitsberg first went to the coal industrialist Zang and from him to the Graz-Köflacher Railway and Mining Company. Since 1910, the castle has been owned by the city of Voitsberg.