From the "Villa Rustica" to the Hausberg sunny side
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This tour is a round trip in the middle of Eastern Styria, the so-called "Garden of Austria". The sunny side of Löffelbach rising fields, are located on the "local mountain".
The fields rising from Löffelbach on the sunny side are located on the "Hausberg", as the graceful terrain is called. The well-preserved foundation walls of the "Villa Rustica" excavated on the outskirts of Löffelbach are of great interest. The excavations are an archaeological peculiarity and count among the historically most important cultural assets in Styria. The foundations date back to a Roman country residence in the style of a palatial peristyle villa with porticoes from the 2nd and 3rd centuries AD.
Neuberg Castle is one of the most important preserved fortified buildings in Styria. It is located at the foot of the Ringkogel . This medieval high castle was built in the 12th century as a border fortress or "battle castle" against the feared Hungarian hosts and against all kinds of "heathen vermin" from the East. A square keep about 36 meters high with the palace is the oldest part of the complex. The castle is privately owned and not open to the public.
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The tour in numbers
medium
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- erreichbar über die Südautobahn A2 Ausfahrt Hartberg
- in Hartberg den Wegweisern richtung Innenstadt/Zentrum folgen
Hartberg, Hauptplatz
- From the main square along Preßlgasse to the intersection (parking deck / Brühlgasse), left along the castle wall up Brühlgasse to the intersection. Turn straight ahead into Dr. Friedrich-Niederl-Straße until you reach Löffelbach Ortsmitte,
- from here follow the signs to the Roman estate. Paths lead uphill on the sunny side to the road that leads to Neuberg Castle,
- from the castle along the road uphill and past a quenching pond to the first fork; here turn left downhill to the second fork in front of house no. 224. Now either continue on asphalt downhill (but with an informative view of Neuberg Castle) or keep to the right, on a corridor path, around a small rise and a little shortcut downhill to the next one,
- i.e. from the castle so far third fork. Here keep to the right. Follow the level high road (old blue color markers are visible), reach first a high seat at the edge of the forest and then soon the fourth fork; at it a sign points in the direction of Löffelberg. However, turn left and follow the descending farm road to its end at house no. 95. From here, descend on a field path, immediately keeping left again,
- on a forest road (sign: "Privatweg - Einfahrt verboten") downhill and after a few hairpin bends to a road; finally over a bridge to the asphalt road. Follow this road for a few minutes inland to the information board in Löffelbach and back to Hartberg.
The excavation area at Villa Rustica is freely accessible throughout the year.At Neuberg Castle, groups can visit the chapel; visits are possible by appointment.
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View from the Hausberg sunny side | © Oststeiermark Tourismus | Bernhard Bergmann
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Neuberg Castle with a magnificent viewpoint | © Oststeiermark Tourismus | Bernhard Bergmann
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Neuberg Castle | © Oststeiermark Tourismus | (c) Bernhard Bergmann
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Villa Rustica | © Oststeiermark Tourismus | Bernhard Bergmann
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Aerial view Villa Rustica | © commons.wikimedia.org
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