Nature/Mountains Leoben

Leoben is known as the “Gateway to the Styrian Iron Road”. The 13th century Main Square features the Hackl House with its baroque façade in red and white. The City Parish Church, St. Xaver, built in 1660, comprises a 17th century interior and is considered one of the most significant Jesuit churches in Austria. Also of note is the Art Nouveau Lutheran church which is at the upper end of the Franz-Josef-Strasse. The oldest convent for women in Styria is Göss Abbey. Founded in 1020 A.D., it was run by the Benedictine nuns until it was dissolved in 1782. The early Romanesque crypt is of note as is the 'Gösser Ornat,' which can be seen in Vienna (Museum for Applied Arts). Next to the convent is the Gösser Beer brewery, which includes a brewery museum.

Leoben was shaped for centuries by the trade with iron and the research in raw materials carried out at the University of Leoben, which was founded in 1840. Mining traditions are still play an important part in citylife. Examples are the Miners Parade, the St. Barbara Celebration or the Ledersprung ("Leatherjump"). The Gösser Kirtag, a street fair, takes place on the Thursday after the first Sunday in October and attracts tens of thousands of visitors to Leoben. Other components of the vigorous cultural life of the "Mining City" include classical concerts in the Congress Leoben, productions of the Summer Philharmonics in July and performances of locally created and guest productions in the oldest still-running theater in Austria.

Graz (43 km distance from Leoben) is the second-largest city in Austria after Vienna and the capital of the federal state of Styria. In the last few years some groundbreakingly modern new public buildings have been erected in the city. The most famous of these include the Kunsthaus (house of modern art) designed by Peter Cook and Colin Fournier, a museum constructed right next to the river Mur, and the "Murinsel" (island in the Mur), an island made of steel, situated in the river. It was designed by the American architect Vito Acconci and contains a café, an open-air theatre and a playground.

Mariazell (47 km distance from Leoben) is a small city in Austria, in Styria, well known for winter sports. It is the most important pilgrimage site in Austria and also has great meaning for Catholics in the neighboring countries to its east.

Bad Blumau (78 km distance from Leoben) is a municipality and spa town  in the district of Fürstenfeld in Styria, Austria. It has a large complex at the hot springs designed by architect Friedensreich Hundertwasser.

Bad Gleichenberg (83 km distance from Leoben) is a municipality in the district of Feldbach in Styria, Austria.

Schladming (106 km distance from Leoben) is a small mining town in the Austrian state of Styria, that is now very popular with tourists. It has become a large ski resort and has held various skiing competitions recently. The shopping area has lots of cafes, restaurant and a variety of shops and caters well for tourists.

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