Those who walk through the Herrengasse can have a look into the heaven of the gods.

The façade of the Painted House was painted in 1742 by the baroque painter Johann Mayer with frescoes depicting gods from Greek-Roman mythology. The building also bears the name Ducal Court. Here the Habsburgs continued to carry out their official duties as sovereign princes of Styria until the second half of the 15th century.

The Ducal Court was first mentioned in 1360. It was here that the Dukes of Styria granted fiefs to their subjects. With the completion of Graz Castle after 1450, a new building was available for this purpose. From 1600 onwards, a brother of the then sovereign prince and later emperor Ferdinand II lived in the ducal court. It was during this period that the façade was painted for the first time. This was done by the court painter Ferdinand and later architect of his mausoleum, Giovanni Pietro de Pomis.

The house changed hands several times. Until it came into the possession of a changer. Franz von Lathurner had it frescoed anew by Johann Mayer, a painter from Vorau. Nothing remained of the original painting by de Pomis.

In the course of time, the significance of the figures depicted on the façade fell into oblivion. It was only a few years ago that they were assigned to Greek-Roman gods. The lowest zone
is closest to the people with the gods Bacchus (god of wine), Vulcan (god of craftsmen) and Vesta (goddess of hearth fire). In the hierarchy and on the facade above them are Apollo (god of light), Jupiter (father of the gods) and Pluto (god of the underworld). The heaven of gods is completed by Mercury (god of merchants and travellers), Mars (god of war), Minerva (goddess of war and the arts) and Aeskulap (god of medicine) in the top row. Heroes of the Greco-Roman mythological world are also part of the programme. The frescoes cover over 220 m², the entire façade. This makes the Painted House unique in Austria.

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