In 1958, the idea of organising sculpture symposia on the site of the former Roman sandstone quarries at St. Margarethen in Burgenland was born. The first symposium took place in 1959. In 1960, the first Polish artist, Olgierd Truszyński, was invited (he participated again in the symposium in 1964), and a year later Alina Szapocznikow was invited, who realised the sculpture Flesh I (see Alina Szapocznikow Archive ). In 1963, Magdalena Więcek realised the sculpture Stone. In 1969 Adolf Ryszka, who made the sculpture 'Composition' (he took part in the symposium again in 1991). In 1985, one of the symposia of ceramic forms was held, in which Edward Lagowski participated.

The idea of symposia in St. Margarethen in Burgenland originated with Karl Prantl (1923-2010). The origin of the idea for the symposium was his work 'Boundary Stone' (1956-1958), which he worked on directly in the quarries. In turn, the sculpture itself was set up on the border between Austria and Hungary. This work and the way he worked on it inspired Prantl to continue his work. In 1959, in collaboration with Heinrich Deutsche, he succeeded in inviting eight sculptors to the first symposium. The idea was that the symposia would include artists from 'behind the Iron Curtain'. And although this did not happen in 1959, Olgierd Truszyński took part in the symposium in 1960. Karl Prantel also spoke of how important it is for him to have direct contact with the place from which the stone comes, thus creating a natural connection between sculpture and place. And St. Margarethen in Burgenland is one of the oldest quarries in Europe.