Autumn in Wolfsberg
Autumn is beautiful in the Lavant Valley, as we are surrounded by trees here and the autumn colors shine everywhere. The choice of walks is endless and today I want to take you on my favourite walk around town.
On the way from my home to the old town I pass many trees. At the back entrance of the Lavanttal Arena, there are two maple trees just waiting to be hugged. In the pool the season is over and the quiet has settled in – but in the book box at the entrance you can also find reading material for the colder seasons.
A few minutes and turns later, past the Café Eberhardt, where the best filled breadsticks and toasts are available, you come first to St. Stefaner Strasse and then to Paul-Hackhofer-Strasse, where you can find beautiful houses and a long tree-lined avenue to admire.
At the intersection with Alois-Hut-Straße there is a large lime tree that will soon be lovingly decorated again for the pre-Christmas period. Opposite is the imposing Alois Hut Villa with the guarding figures on the roof.
When going up the Johann-Offner-Straße you can see trendy shops like Take-a-Ride and San Damiano and renovation work on some houses is in progress. Even if many locals still do not notice it, there is a lot going on in the old town. Among other things, successful projects of the city-council and the StadtmacherInnen, as well as the commitment of house owners are responsible for this.
Right now the StadtmacherInnen are moving from Bambergerstraße to Johann-Offner-Straße, in the former “Royal”. Rebuilding this street in the near future will be challenging, but in the end we will be proud of our street leading to the old town. Hopefully even more drivers will find it a shame to only use it as a thoroughfare.
When you arrive at Hohen Platz Square you can see even more beautiful shops, new and long-established ones, a place to drink coffee, meet people and see some sights. On the left is the Markus Church with a tower that can be visited, where Heimo Luxbacher has set up an atelier and where the Tower Café is occasionally open. The 300-year-old plague column and the Getreide Markt are on the right, the Haus der Region with the Reckturm in the background.
Saturday is market day at Hohen Platz Square and the street is closed to cars from Bardel-Eck. You can move around freely, with children, bikes or wheelchairs and visit the KuKuMa without having to mind the cars that are mostly moving too fast. Wedding couples can often be admired on Saturdays and many visitors are impressed by the market and the products. There are a lot of shops in the direction of the town hall and some of the buildings have been renovated and painted. Past the Kost-nix-Laden, the Scharfes Eck, Fesch und Frech and Pasta Passion, you walk down to the town hall, where you can find another book box and over the Fleischbrücke. On the left, the probably most beautiful garden in Wolfsberg is just a few steps away, at Edelkoi in the Aldershof. Opposite the hotel entrance since spring 2021 is the Glas Atelier Silberberger, where you will always be welcomed in a friendly manner and right next to it you can enjoy a trip back to grandma’s times in Fundus. The 2nd birthday of this successful second-hand shop will be celebrated here on November 5th.
If you turn into Bürgergasse, in the direction of Allgäu, you come across more new business premises. Since April 2020 there has been the dog hairdresser – Dog Couture and the Gratos office is located here – where cross-generational consulting and technical training are offered. If you go further into the city center from here and want to stop off somewhere, you are spoiled for choice, because Cafino, Schafs Deli, Café Palais, Vero, Hecher and (until the end of November) Marco Polo are less than 5 minutes from here by foot. The three other book boxes are also not far away at the Offner Platzl, Bahnhof Platz and Wiener Straße.
My path goes down Herrengasse to the left and past Bajazzo – where the best pizza in town is available, continuing in the direction of the Lavant to Café Orpheo and Bayrhofen Castle, where you can admire a beautiful inner courtyard behind the huge, two-winged wooden door. An interesting exhibition is currently on view in the museum in the Lavanthaus: “WIRR: WAHR, how we understand the world through networks.” Further south you can again marvel at large trees. On the left in the city park is the “Hut Eiche” (oak tree) and on the opposite side of the street is the Alois Hut Park, which is furnished with very beautiful wooden loungers. Even in autumn you can relax here on a sunny day, browse through a book and let the trees have their effect.
A few steps further and I reach the Lavant cycle path and I’ll be back home in about 15 minutes. Half a day’s short vacation in your own city offers a break from everyday life and an opportunity to take a closer look at familiar surroundings. I like what I see here in Wolfsberg.