The Lindwurm is Klagenfurt’s landmark and heraldic animal. The figure was carved from a single block of chlorite schist from Kreuzbergl. This brings together two specific aspects in one motif: the Lindwurm’s significance to the city and the origin of the stone used. This connection to the material also makes the landmark a starting point for the city’s other cultural and landscape-related themes.
Landmarks, Coats of Arms and Arcaded Courtyards
In Klagenfurt’s Landhaus, the Great Coat of Arms Hall displays 665 coats of arms belonging to the Carinthian estates. This number gives the hall a clear focus on cultural history. While the Lindwurm stands out as a single symbol of the city, the Coat of Arms Hall brings together a large number of regional coats of arms in one place—two different approaches to the history and symbols of Carinthia.
A walk through Klagenfurt’s Old Town offers a different perspective on architecture in the urban landscape: you can discover more than 50 arcaded courtyards dating from the 16th and 17th centuries. This is on a different scale from the individual Lindwurm or the enclosed Coat of Arms Hall. Those interested in historic architectural styles will find not just one motif here, but numerous courtyards to discover while walking through the Old Town.
Art and Special Discoveries
The main galleries of the Stadtgalerie Klagenfurt cover around 1,000 square metres. Exhibitions of painting, sculpture, photography and new media take turns there on a regular basis. This range brings together different art forms; since the exhibitions change, it is a good idea to check the current programme before planning your trip. That way, you can plan your visit around the actual exhibition themes rather than assuming a particular show will be on.
Minimundus adds a virtual journey around the world to these cultural themes: the attraction has an indoor area where you can travel the world virtually. This is a distinct thematic focus alongside art, city history and architecture. When choosing what to do, you can therefore decide whether you are more interested in specific buildings and exhibitions or in this virtual travel experience.
Botany, Views and Water
At the foot of Kreuzbergl is the Carinthian Botanical Centre, with its Botanical Garden and the Carinthian State Herbarium. The site is located in the historic quarry of the state capital. The garden and herbarium have different botanical focuses: as their names indicate, one is a garden and the other a state herbarium. Together, they offer a clear starting point for anyone who wants to discover Klagenfurt through its botanical themes as well.
The viewing platform at the Kreuzbergl Observatory offers a panoramic view over the Klagenfurt Basin and the Karawanks. This means the view of the landscape complements Kreuzbergl’s botanical attractions, while the two offer different experiences: here, it is about the sweeping view of the basin and mountains; there, about the garden and herbarium.
The Lend Canal is a waterway dating back to 1527 and measuring around four kilometres in length. It connects Klagenfurt city centre with Lake Wörthersee. This offers a different point of reference for orientation than the view from the platform: the canal describes a water connection between two named places, while the observatory offers a panoramic view. If you are planning your trip around particular themes, this is a tangible distinction between a connection and a view.
Museum Tramway and Im Moos
The museum tramway along Klagenfurt’s Lend Canal runs from the “Zur Tramway” buffet to the “Im Moos” nature reserve. At the terminus, there are exhibitions about the landscape conservation area, the history of local public transport in Klagenfurt and the Klagenfurt Cinema Museum. Several themes therefore come together at the end of the tramway route described here: landscape conservation, local transport history and film. When deciding what to visit, it is helpful to distinguish this attraction from others: the focus here is on the destination and the exhibitions mentioned there.
The arcaded courtyards reveal historic architecture on a walk, the Stadtgalerie features regularly changing exhibitions, and the exhibitions mentioned above await at the museum tramway’s terminus. First consider which of these cultural and landscape-related experiences you want to shape your stay; then you can look for hotels for your trip to the city.
Discover more destinations: Höflein, Plescherken, Feistritz Im Rosental, Sankt Bartlmä, Techelsberg Am Wörther See, Reifnitz, Krumpendorf, Keutschach Am See
Return to the wider travel overview: Klagenfurt-Land.
