The castle ruin, which is 200 metres (660 ft) above Graz, is a popular place to visit, since it offers a panoramic view of the Graz basin and the eastern Styrian hill country even today.

In that century, the castle was expanded to a fortress to provide protection against the Turks and Hungarians.

It was part of the signalling fire system, which was supposed to warn the population in case of danger.

On 10 July 1723 lightning struck the gunpowder magazine and a large part of the castle burnt down.

It was not rebuilt, but was replaced as the new residence of the Attems family by the Baroque Schloss Gösting or Neugösting at the foot of the mountain, which was completed in 1728.