Travel Guide SAnkt Veit An Der Glan

The town lies to the north of the fertile Zollfeld plain, crossed by the River Glan, at the foot of the Gurktal Alps.A historic town with a rich heritage, it was the capital of Carinthia from 1170 to 1518, when it was supplanted by Klagenfurt. Its Hauptplatz is dominated by the Trinity Column, erected in 1715 to celebrate the end of the plague epidemic. On the same square, the Schüsselbrunnen fountain curiously combines a base of Roman origin (it is said to have come from the ancient city of Virunum) with a16th-century bronze statue of a miner. The Rathaus, although dating from 1468, has the classic appearance of more recent buildings: Baroque decorations, arcaded courtyard, richly decorated hall.The choir of the Pfarrkirche combines Romanesque and Gothic elements. Sankt Veit an der Glan is surrounded by castles: a dozen within a 10 km radius. The most famous is Hochosterwitz Castle (10 km to the southeast), dating back to 860 A.D. Exposed to Turkish invasions, the castle was fortified in the late 16thcentury by Baron George von Khevenhüller, whose family still owns it today. Overlooking the valley from the top of a hill, it forms one of the most beautiful landscapes in the region, offering a prime vantage point from its walls. Access is via a fortified ramp, defended by fourteen gates. The castle is open to the public (weapons collection) from Easter to October, every day from 9am.