FOUNDING HISTORY OF THE CITY
A castle and a market were built in Hartberg in the 12th century. As the first Traungau palace on Styrian soil, Hartberg's political position made it the central town of the province. Only later did Graz take over this function. In the second half of the century, the fortification of the town was begun and a ring wall with towers, typical for the Middle Ages, was built. In this period, along the entire border from Friedberg to Radkersburg to Hungary, security and defense measures are created, knight's residences and castles are built.
In the course of the Middle Ages and modern times, these were repeatedly put to the test. While Fürstenfeld and Radkersburg were developed into bulwarks, the fortifications in Hartberg were not rebuilt or extended. Thus, the medieval remains characterize the image of the town under the Ringkogel until today.