Defensive arms

The collection of protective arms provides us with a clear picture of how soldiers protected themselves in wartime. Whether marksman, pikeman, hussar, harquebusier or cuirassier, officer or aristocratic military leader, they are all represented by their armour and helmets in the Styrian Armoury.

There are around 3,844 items:

 

  • helmets
  • suits of chain mail
  • armoured sleeves
  • shields
  • suits of armour


The armour dates back to 1500 - 1685 and was commissioned by the Styrian estates from armourers and mail makers in Graz, Nuremberg and Augsburg. 
 

Amongst the most interesting exhibits is a horse armour made in the workshop of Conrad Seusenhofer in Innsbruck in c. 1510 and came to the Armoury in 1814 as a gift from Karl, Count of Stubenberg.

 

There are more elaborate officer’s armours of aristocrats as well as pieces used in tournament: a field armour made in the workshop of Conrad Richter in Augsburg which belonged to Archduke Charles II of Inner Austria, a fluted armour made in the workshop of Hans Maystetter in Innsbruck as well as the great garniture for tournament of Kaspar Baron of Völs-Schenkenberg which was made in the workshop of Michael Witz the Younger in Innsbruck.

Objects

Horse armour

Konrad Seusenhofer, Innsbruck, c.1510


Produced in the early 16th century, this suit of horse armour from the workshop of the Innsbruck armourer Konrad Seusenhofer is today one of the showpieces of the collection –  more...

Field armour with reinforcement plates

Hanns Prenner (?), Graz around 1620


The equestrian armour for heavy cavalry is a striking testimony to the craftsmanship of the armourers. Some of these were made by Hans Prenner (†1645), an armourer based in Graz.  more...

Armour for a nobleman

Michael Witz the younger, Innsbruck, um 1550


Michael Witz the Younger, a master armorer, made this exquisite suit for an unrecorded important client in Innsbruck in 1550s.  more...

Footman's armour

Workshop of Hanns Prenner, Graz, c.1620


Soldiers in the infantry did not wear complete suits of armour in battle but just a breast and backplate, a neck collar, leg tassets that were pushed up several times and an open burgonet  more...

Hungarian-style armour

Graz, c.1580/90


Hussars were lightly equipped horsemen who wore a close-meshed mail shirt and plate armour.  more...

Harquebusier's armour

Styria, 3rd quarter of the 16th century


The ‘light’ cavalry were protected by a ‘Trabharnisch’, or harquebusier’s armour, that consisted of a breast- and backplate and which had no short tassets.  more...

Great Garniture of Kaspar Baron of Völs-Schenkenberg

Michael Witz the Younger, Innsbruck, 1560


There around two dozen parts of a set of armour in the state armoury. This so-called large set was once produced for Kaspar Baron von Völs-Schenkenberg and for a tournament which took place at the Wiener Hof in 1560.  more...

Field armour of Archduke Karl II of Inner Austria

Conrad Richter, Augsburg, um 1565


On his tomb at the abbey of Stift Seckau, the ruler of Inner Austria, Karl II, is depicted in full armour. The original armour can be found today in the Landeszeughaus. It was made by the Augsburg plate armourer Conrad Richter, who had been brought to Graz by the Styrian estates on the strength of his outstanding reputation.  more...

Fluted armour by Hans Maystetter

Innsbruck/Graz, 1510/11


In the first decades of the 16th century, so-called ridged or Maximilian armour became common. This type of armour was characterised by three-dimensionally curved surfaces, a wasp waist as well as a specific, decorative design that emphasised the three-dimensional shape of the armour.  more...

Styrian Armoury

Herrengasse 16
8010 Graz, Österreich
T +43-316/8017-9810
zeughaus@museum-joanneum.at

 

Opening Hours


Admission only with guided tour:
1  November 2022 to 31 March 2023 Tue-Sun, public holidays

Admission without a guided tour (brochure):
1 April 2023 to 31 October 2023 Tue-Sun, public holidays 10am - 6pm

Guided Tours
Please visit our calendar.
Guided tours on advance notice.
Due to the current Covid regulations, the number of participants is limited.

 

24th/25th December 2023