English 
Contact
Service Centre for Tourism and City Marketing
Hauptplatz 18
8160 Weiz
Tel: +43 (0) 3172 / 2319-660
Fax: +43 (0) 3172 / 2319-9660
E-mail: tourismus (at) weiz. at
Squares & buildings
Please click here:
The Südtirolerplatz and Weberhaus
The Südtirolerplatz square can be accessed via the K&K (imperial and royal) shopping arcade – the former stables of the Weiz post house.
With any luck, you will see a stork sitting in its nest on the roof of the ‘Zur Goldenen Krone’ guesthouse.
Opposite is the Weberhaus culture centre which opened in 1990. The Weberhaus is guarded by Medusa and contains a café, a gallery, a public library and the city archives.
Weiz Main Square
The main square (Hauptplatz), surrounded by stately houses, formed the core of the Baroque housing area until the end of the 18th century.
At the centre of the square is a column featuring a statue of the Virgin Mary which was erected here at the end of the 17th century. This is a reference both to Mary as patron saint of the parish and to the pilgrimage church on the Weizberg.
The farmers’ market attracts visitors every Wednesday and Saturday with its down-to-earth produce.
Weiz town hall
The town hall has been here since 1910. The façade of the building reflects the development of the city of Weiz.
The symbol of ‘wood – fire - plough’ stands for the cultivation, clearing and harvesting of crops.
The Mosdorfer hammer mill, the Elin company and the transformer which was supplied to the Kaprun power station in 1951 are symbolically represented on the right-hand side.
Weiz – an energy showground
Weiz is a real trend-setter in having so many plants in the public domain, thereby displaying its expertise in energy for all to see.
Weiz is one of 12 energy showgrounds for Europe’s first international ‘Energy Road’ which leads from East Styria to Slovenia.
Renewable energy is transformed into an accessible experience for interested and forward-thinking individuals to enjoy at each of the energy showgrounds. The use of biomass, water power, solar power, biogas, wind power and geothermal heat are all presented here for visitors to explore.
Gemini House (point 1 on the map)
The Gemini House is internationally unique and has already won numerous awards. Gemini means twins and refers to the double-function of the house as a place of residence and a producer of electricity. The house generates more energy than it consumes and as such is a ‘plus-energy’ house. It is also known as a ‘residential solar power station’.
A great deal of expertise and innovation have been invested in the energy concept of this round house which works like a sunflower, rotating in the direction of the sun to make active and passive use of the solar energy.
Solar lighting along the Weizbach river (point 3 on the map)
The modern solar lighting in the main square and along the Weizbach river is an elegant addition to the historic image of the city.
The lights are not mass produced but were planned and designed in Weiz. They are a significant symbol of the city’s use of alternative energy supplies. The 2 solar modules used generate an output of 106 Watt. The lighting concept is particularly noteworthy: one lamp with a reflector provides indirect and dazzle-free lighting for the road while the other lights the footpath along the Weizbach.
Pichler Werke solar panel (point 4 on the map)
The history of Weiz is closely linked with the Pichler Werke and the company founder, Franz Pichler.
The head offices were renovated in 2001 and equipped with a highly intelligent and energy-efficient façade. The glass light circuit sections beneath the windows can be set to either channel light into the offices or block the light from entering. The latest photovoltaic cells are used to create environmentally-friendly power as well as serving as a sun screen while the large transparent photovoltaic solar panel follows the sun like a sundial.
Photovoltaic cell at the station (point 5 on the map)
The modern pedestrian and cyclists’ bridge over the station seems to float almost weightlessly, rather like a large dragon fly. And this is despite being made from 102 tonnes of steel! A photovoltaic system is based on the roof of the staircase and each of the 30 solar modules generates 110 Watt of environmentally-friendly power. Batteries of e-bikes can be charged at the solar charging station.
Weiz Energy Innovation Centre (point 6 on the map)
The W.E.I.Z., the Weiz Energy Innovation Centre, is the first office block in Central Europe to be based on passive energy and the largest timber-frame construction in Austria.
The energy demand of just 15 kilowatt hours per year per m2 is unusually low. This is only possible in this building without heating appliances due to the excellent heat insulation, controlled ventilation and aeration, heat recovery and use of geothermal heat.
The W.E.I.Z. is a professionally monitored corporate centre comprising innovative firms and 2 internationally renowned research institutes from Joanneum Research.
Since May 2007, the W.E.I.Z. II has also been available to companies and firms in the region for use as an office block.
The W.E.I.Z. III will open in 2010. It will contain the BFI (vocational promotion centre) and other office spaces.
