Duke's Chair, Medieval monument in Maria Saal, Austria
Duke's Chair is composed of two stone seats with connected backrests, built from Roman gravestones taken from the ancient city of Virunum. The structure repurposes these antique stones, which originated from a nearby archaeological site.
Built in the ninth century as a place where Carinthian dukes swore oaths and received homage, this stone marked a central tradition of power transfer. The use of Roman gravestones during the medieval period shows the connection between ancient and medieval history in the region.
The two seats at this location held symbolic meaning during duke installations, with each chair designated for a different rank of nobility who participated in the swearing-in ceremony.
The site sits on the Zollfeld plain near Maria Saal, roughly 10 kilometers north of Klagenfurt in Carinthia. The terrain is flat and accessible, with good visibility of the stone formation from nearby roads.
The use of stones from Virunum meant that old Roman inscriptions and symbols were integrated into the medieval structure. This blend of ancient and medieval elements makes the monument a unique source for understanding cultural continuity in this region.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
