Description of the attraction
The Landhaus (government building of the province of Upper Austria) was built in the Austrian city of Linz in 1571. This palace with a beautiful marble facade portal is an architectural monument of the Renaissance. More than 2 million tourists visit it every year.
The history of Landhaus began in the distant 1563, when the monastery of the Minorite monks was bought by the city guild. In the 16th century, the building became the center of the region's economic and cultural life. From 1574 to 1629, a Protestant school was located here, where famous scholars taught. In particular, Johannes Kepler taught classes at the school for 14 years. In 1626, peasants under the leadership of Stephen Fudinger tried to besiege the building, but to no avail. A few years later, the Counter-Reformation won, as a result of which the school was closed.
In 1800, a terrible fire broke out in the building, part of the building was badly damaged, the library, archives and an art gallery were destroyed. The building was rebuilt according to the project of Ferdinand Mayer, new facades were created in the classical style. The reconstruction lasted two years and was completed in 1802.
Today the complex consists of three courtyards and gates through which you can go to the embankment. In one of the courtyards, decorated with a colonnade, the "Fountain of the Planets" is arranged in memory of Johannes Kepler. The seven bronze figures of the fountain symbolize the seven planets known at that time. Summer open-air classical music concerts are now held in the courtyard.
Recently, during the construction of an underground car park on the embankment, the remains of a medieval cemetery were found, as well as a baroque bridge. The bridge was hidden in the ground, on the site of a now defunct moat. This work was completed in early 2009.
