Subversive Emblems and Facade Replicas

Position yourself on Sporgasse to examine the imposing street-facing portal of Palais Saurau, built between 1564 and 1566 for Pankraz von Windischgrätz and acquired in 1630 by the Saurau family. Start your inspection at eye level with the heavy rusticated stone archway and the exquisite 18th-century wrought-iron skylight grille above the entrance. Then tilt your head upward toward the roof eaves. High above, projecting out over the street, is a dramatic half-figure sculpture of an Ottoman warrior boasting a turban, long beard, and raised sword. Historical records confirm this figure functioned as the Saurau family's house mark or emblem. Popular local legend spins a far more theatrical tale, claiming the sculpture depicts an enemy commander who peered out a window during a siege or was decapitated by a cannonball fired from the Schlossberg. Notice the subtle weathered texture of the figure: the piece on the facade today is actually a wooden replica installed for outdoor preservation, while the original carved figure from the 16th or 17th century resides safely inside the Graz Museum.