Styria (duchy)

The Duchy of Styria (German: Herzogtum Steiermark) was a duchy of the Holy Roman Empire until its dissolution in 1806, and a crownland of Austria-Hungary until its dissolution in 1918. This mountainous and scenic region, which became a center for mountaineering in the 19th century, is often called the "green march", because half of the area is covered with forests and one quarter with meadows, grasslands, vineyards and orchards. Styria is also rich in minerals, soft coal and iron, which has been mined at Erzberg since the time of the Romans. The Windisch Buheln is a famous Austrian wine-producing district. Styria was for long the most densely-populated and productive mountain region of Europe.

Coat of Arms

The coat of arms of the duchy pictured a standing white heraldic panther breathing red flames on a fir green field, with a shield crowned with the archducal coronet.

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