Preceding buildings in the late Middle Ages Klagenfurt, established at its current location in 1246, was granted city rights in 1252. However, during the late
Middle Ages, the towns of St. Veit and
Völkermarkt were more prominent as sovereign residences in Carinthia. Despite this, records indicate that a castle was built in Klagenfurt during the town's reconstruction period.
Castellans of Klagenfurt are mentioned in 1258, and a document from Duke Ulrich III in 1268 refers to a castle. However, details about the size and location of this castle are sparse, though it is believed to have been situated at the western end of Alter Platz. Neither the Spanheimer dukes of the 13th century nor the
Habsburg sovereigns, who acquired the
Duchy of Carinthia in 1335, used the castle complex as a seat of power. While the Spanheimers resided in St. Veit, the Habsburgs did not establish a permanent residence in Klagenfurt. In 1489, the citizens of
Klagenfurt were gifted a new castle by the emperor. By this time, a second sovereign castle had already been built during the 15th century. The exact location of this second castle is not well documented, but it was situated near the older castle, with at least part of it occupying the area where the Landhaus now stands.
Construction of the Landhaus (1574–1594) The Landhaus was intended to replace the old sovereign castle, which had been destroyed in a city fire in 1535 and had already become dilapidated prior to that. To prepare for the construction of the new building, the Landstände began the construction of an armory in 1518, the foundations of which can still be seen in the northeastern corner of the cellar. Ultimately, it was decided to build a new castle starting in 1574. On March 3, 1574, Hans Freymann from Bleiburg, who served as the regional master builder and chief armorer, received instructions to construct the new castle and oversee the fortification of the entire city. The precise extent of his involvement in the planning and design of the complex remains unclear, and it is no longer possible to determine his specific contributions to the current structure. However, it is believed that he extended an older, square building located at the northwest corner of the Landhaus by adding a hook-shaped wing extending towards the south. This new section included a hall (now known as the Grosser Wappensaal) situated above the basement, the Landstube (currently utilized as a meeting room), and several additional rooms adjoining it to the east. These rooms roughly correspond to the present west and south wings of the building. By the end of his tenure, the buildings had been completed to such an extent that artistic decoration could begin. After completing this first phase of construction by the end of 1580, the Landstände also acquired the so-called Paradeiserhaus in the immediate vicinity (now Landhaushof No. 3), which has since formed a structural and functional ensemble with the Landhaus. Freymann was replaced as master builder in 1581, though the reasons for his replacement are unclear. By the autumn of 1580, there is no further evidence of his activity, and he may have died during this period. His successor,
Johann Anton Verda, who had previously worked as a stonemason at the
Graz Landhaus, played a crucial role in shaping the exterior appearance of the Landhaus. Verda extended the building into a horseshoe shape, added the two-story
arcade and accompanying flights of stairs, and constructed the southern tower. The Diet first convened in the Landhaus on December 4, 1581, although the building had already been substantially completed by that time. The final construction element, the Landhaus courtyard gate, which separated the courtyard between the Landhaus and the adjacent building complex "Zur goldenen Gans," was completed in 1594. Inside, the Great Coat of Arms Hall had been completed in 1578 by the Villach landscape painter Anton Blumenthal, who shortly thereafter contributed 47 portraits of Carinthian princes. Between 1587 and 1588, the building was further completed under the leadership of Christoph Windisch, with significant contributions from the sculptor Ulrich Vogelsang. The completed Landhaus is depicted in a contemporary account by Urban Paumgartner, a teacher at the Protestant landscape school "Collegium sapientiae et pietatis" in Klagenfurt. While in exile in
Lauingen in 1605, Paumgartner composed the epic
Aristeion Carinthiae Claudiforum, consisting of 1,000 Latin hexameters. This work describes the newly built city of Klagenfurt in 18 sections and includes a city map, among other illustrations. The Aristeion provides insights about the country house, stating:
Use and importance from the year 1581 The construction of the city fortifications in 1591 and the completion of the Landhaus in 1594 marked a significant turning point for Klagenfurt, transforming it into a major residence for the Landstände, both structurally and politically. The finalization of the Landhaus coincided with the establishment of a Carinthian provincial table in 1591, which redefined the composition of the Landstände and led to the formation of provincial authorities. The Landhaus served multiple functions. Primarily, it was the meeting place for the Landstände and their committees. Additionally, it hosted the interrogations of provincial governors and the "Landschrannengericht" (provincial law and court proceedings). The building also functioned as a venue for ceremonies; one of the first notable events was a banquet for Archduke Ferdinand II on January 27, 1597, following his hereditary homage. Urban Paumgartner reported on dances held by the Landstände, and the Landhaus became a popular location for wedding receptions for members of the Landstände. The mint of St. Vitus, which had been leased in 1529, was also moved to the new capital. However, the Landstände lost their right to mint coins in 1622 and were required to vacate the mint adjacent to the Landhaus. Shortly after its completion, parts of the Landhaus were rented out for various uses, including as storage rooms for grain. The
Counter-Reformation brought about the re-Catholicization of Carinthian towns, especially Klagenfurt (in 1600 and 1604). The expulsion of
Protestant nobility in 1628 led to the consolidation of provincial centralism, and the activities of the provincial parliament were subsequently restricted to affirming provincial demands.
Fire and redesign from 1723 On August 16, 1723, a catastrophic fire struck Klagenfurt, inflicting severe damage on the Landhaus. In the years following this disaster, the building was extensively renovated in the late Baroque style. The south and west façades were embellished with giant pilasters and stucco-decorated window frames. The south tower was fitted with two new bells in 1724, which survived both World Wars. In 1735, Ferdinand Fromiller was commissioned to redesign the Great Hall of Arms, which continued to serve as the central venue for the Carinthian Landstände until 1848. Fromiller's renovations included the installation of a marble floor with a three-color geometric pattern, the addition of a new main portal, and two fireplaces. He also painted the coats of arms of the burgraves, councilors, and other officials in the Small Hall of Arms, which was used as the council chamber for the councilors.
Use in the 18th and 19th centuries The Landhaus, particularly its Great Hall of Arms, was a focal point for festivities in the late 18th century, hosting notable events such as the visit of
Amalia of Parma in June 1783 and
Archduke Ferdinand of
Milan in 1786. The
Napoleonic Wars marked a significant shift in the building's use. The armory of the Landstände was discontinued, though rooms later served as storage for Landwehr weapons. During the French occupation of Klagenfurt in 1809 and 1810, the Landhaus was repurposed as a military hospital, sustaining considerable structural damage in the process. In 1818, a bust of Emperor Franz I was installed in the Large Hall of Coats of Arms but was replaced by the Fürstenstein in 1870. Another significant addition was the obelisk fountain, created by Christophoro Cragnolini in 1833 for the Landhaushof at a cost of 600 guilders. The fountain remains in place today. Additionally, in 1843, the garden of the Landhaus, formerly a vegetable garden, was redesigned into a park, with its surrounding walls removed as part of this renovation. From 1843 to 1883, the Landhaus also housed the state museum, which later moved to the
Rudolfinum, now known as the Carinthian State Museum. The Historical Association's Museum began operating within the Landhaus in 1844, followed by the Natural History Museum in 1861. A monument hall, located in front of the north wing, displayed various significant exhibits but was dismantled in 1882 during a renovation of the Landhaushof. In 1896, the state mortgage bank established its offices on the ground floor of the Landhaus, where it remained for three years. By 1914, the building housed several governmental institutions, including the offices of the state parliament and state committee, the state building authority, the state accounting department, and the state treasury.
First Republic In 1926, a cellar was established in the Landhaus following a government decision. The cellar was adorned with murals created by local Carinthian artists, including Eduard Manhart's "
Ankogel," Switbert Lobisser's "Kirchgang," "Keusche am Berg," and "Kärntnerhimmel," Josef Prokop's "Schimmelreiten im Gurktal," and Richard Knaus's "Stern- oder Dreikönigssingen in
Paternion" and "Bandltanz." Unfortunately, all of the paintings except Lobisser's “Carinthian Sky” were lost in a fire in 1949 and during renovations in 1969. In 1924 and 1925, a tender was announced for the decoration of the meeting hall with a theme related to the 1920 referendum. Switbert Lobisser won the commission and, in 1928, painted a fresco on the north side of the hall reflecting the spirit of the Heimatschutz movement. In 1929,
Anton Kolig was commissioned to design the Kolig Hall, named in his honor. Between October 1929 and October 1930, Kolig and his students, including Anton Mahringer, painted frescoes in the hall with financial support from the state of Hesse-Nassau. The frescoes were intended to symbolize the fraternization between Austria and Germany, depicting themes of military life, crafts, hospitality, and patriarchal order, which were considered contemporary at the time. The frescoes were executed using colored mortar with overpainting in wax casein colors. They deliberately avoided creating an illusion of three-dimensional space and were intentionally left with an unfinished appearance. The figures, though larger-than-life, appeared somewhat unnatural in the relatively small space. During the progress of the work, there was significant dissatisfaction, particularly from the Christian Social Party, and some images faced strong criticism. Despite the objections, Otto Demus from the Office for the Protection of Monuments and Social-Democratic provincial councilor Zeinitzer defended the frescoes. However, in November 1930, members of the
National Socialists and the
Heimatblock demanded the removal of the frescoes. On March 25, 1931, the state parliament narrowly voted against removing the frescoes, with a vote of 17 to 16. Emmerich Angerer from the Heimatblock remarked, "A people who have fought for their freedom, a people who have sealed their true love of their homeland with their blood, cannot tolerate that even for one or two more days these frescoes, which really offend the people, are exposed to the public."
The Era of National Socialism The frescoes in the Landhaus, created before
Austria's annexation to the
German Reich, faced significant threats after the rise of the National Socialists. On October 12, 1938, provincial curator Walter Frodl reported that he could not ensure the safety of the frescoes due to widespread demands for their removal. During renovations in the winter of 1938/39, the frescoes were demolished. While the exact author and date of the demolition remain unknown, it is believed to have occurred between November 1938 and February 1939. In the summer of 1938, Switbert Lobisser was commissioned by Minister of the Interior
Wilhelm Frick to paint new frescoes in the conference hall for 10,000
Reichsmark, entitled "''Carinthia's Homecoming into the Reich
". Concurrently, the Landhaus received a new façade with Terranova spray plaster in ivory, rust red, and grey. The north tower was adorned with a sundial fresco by Otto Bestereimer and Kurt Weiss, featuring the zodiac, runes for life and death, and the motto “Es sollen die Schlechten die Guten nit knechten''”, an allusion to the time of illegality. Following these renovations, the Landhaus became the headquarters of the Gauleitung of Carinthia in early 1940, with the Koligsaal serving as the office of Gauleiter
Friedrich Rainer. Although the building survived
World War II without direct bomb hits, its façade and roof suffered severe damage. On May 1, 1945, the Landhaus played a pivotal role in the restoration of democracy in Carinthia. Before the arrival of British troops, democratic parties seized control of the Landtag. On May 5, Gauhauptmann Natmeßnig and democratic representatives convened in the Landhaus, forming an enforcement committee that moved to adjacent Tabakamt buildings. By the evening of May 7, the provisional provincial government was established in the small armorial hall, marking a key moment in the reinstatement of democracy in Carinthia. To commemorate this historic event, a plaque was installed in the Landhaus in 1985, inscribed with: "In this building / Carinthian / patriots restored / democracy / in the country by / their own efforts on 7 May / 1945."
Second Republic After the conclusion of the Second World War, the Landhaus was seized by the
British occupying forces, who had previously covered the Lobisser frescoes painted in 1938. It was not until July 22, 1948, that the Landtag could reconvene in the conference hall. Between 1964 and 1976, extensive renovations were carried out on the Landhaus. The roof and façades, which had been only temporarily repaired after 1945, were fully restored. The inner courtyard façade was redesigned in a Renaissance style, featuring grey and white colors. In 1967, Karl Bauer created a new sundial on the north tower, rendered in
sgraffito with the coats of arms of the seven district capitals of the time. The meeting hall was refurbished in 1970, including the installation of a visitors' gallery and a 350-kilogram bronze coat of arms of Carinthia by Werner Lösser. Anton Kolig's oil paintings were hung in the Kolig Hall, and the Great Coat of Arms Hall underwent restoration in 1975 and 1976. In 1997, the Provincial Archives moved to a new location on St. Ruprechter Straße, leading to another round of renovations and redesigns for the Landhaus. The conference hall was updated with new seating, and the bronze coat of arms was replaced with a modern Carinthian graphic. During these renovations, the previously covered Nazi frescoes were uncovered. After some debate, these frescoes were removed and conserved. In the autumn of 1996, the state parliament requested a new design project for the Kolig Hall. The cultural committee and the advisory board for fine arts supported Cornelius Kolig, grandson of Anton Kolig, due to his possession of his grandfather's documents and his status as an "ostracised artist." Dr. Michael Ausserwinkler, the deputy provincial governor responsible for culture at the time, endorsed this proposal, emphasizing the importance of confronting the darker aspects of Carinthia's past. However, this decision faced opposition. The
Kärntner Krone, a regional newspaper, criticized the decision with headlines such as: "Faecal artist to collect millions: Stop cultural scandal in Carinthia!" At the instigation of the
FPÖ, the Cultural Committee decided on 17 March 1998 to invite tenders for the design of the space. The five-member international jury was nominated by the parties in the provincial parliament, and the parties agreed to accept the jury's vote. On 2 July 1998, Cornelius Kolig was unanimously announced as the winner by the jury from among the 19 participants. On 7 July the provincial government decided to award the contract to Kolig with the votes of the
ÖVP and
SPÖ: "The result does not fit the FPÖ's political worldview. However, we will not let Carinthia become the Punch and Judy of a united Europe." If critics had initially taken offense at the way the contract was awarded, the campaign by the Kärntner Krone and the FPÖ against Cornelius Kolig continued even after the tender they had called for. Construction work on the Kolig Hall began in August 1998, while the FPÖ mobilized against the project, collecting signatures and distributing controversial leaflets. The Klagenfurt Regional Court intervened, banning the distribution of these leaflets. Kolig completed the design of the room, incorporating elements such as the lettering "TAT ORT," referencing its previous use as Friedrich Rainer's office. The hall was presented to the public on September 25, 1998. Despite the controversy, the hall has since become a notable attraction. == Building Specification ==