Johnsdorf Castle
| Johnsdorf Castle | ||
|---|---|---|
 Exterior view |
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| Place: | Johnsdorf, Fehring community | |
| Geographical location | 46 ° 57 '35 " N , 15 ° 58' 35" E | |
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The Johnsdorf Castle is located in Johnsdorf , township Fehring in the Steiermark .
history
Johnsdorf Castle was probably built in the early Middle Ages by the Aychenstauden family. Like many other castles and palaces in this area, it initially served mainly as a bulwark against Kuruc and Turks .
After several changes of ownership, Hans Adam Narringer took over the castle in 1587. In 1605, Narringer's wife and son Seyfried were killed here in an unsuccessful invasion of Hungary. After the death of Hans Adam Narringer, his son Georg Christoph inherited the building, which led to inheritance disputes between him, his mother Elisabeth (daughter of David von Lengheim from Schloss Bertholdstein) and his sister Anna Margareta because of his extravagance and the associated debts. Governor Friedrich Freiherr von Herberstein was involved in the disputes, and the castle was auctioned in 1616.
The new owner, Katharina Elisabeth Freifrau von Galler , called "Gallerin", had the heavily dilapidated castle rebuilt and, above all, expanded. An inscription stone above the main portal still reminds of the powerful owners of the castle. The inscription reads:
- " Jesus and Maria be with me, Katharina Elisabeth Frau Gallerin, born changer Freyin, wife of the vestment and lordship to the stone, Riegkherspurg, Liechtenegg and Wexel, Sperg Wittib die Gschloss to look like it is from Greens Waasen I have rebuilt on God all my trust Anno Domini 1656. "
During the renovations, the inner defensive wall was raised and guest rooms were built. Arcades and corridors were built in the courtyard. In the main building, the staircase turned into a dining room, for which she had plasterers and painters brought from Italy. But there are also assumptions that the entire castle was razed and completely rebuilt. An underground passage should also lead to the Riegersburg . But this has not yet been found.
In 1886 it was acquired by Viktor Baron von Herring and in 1910 by the Hungarian magnate Joszi Dory de Jakahaza (Josef Baron Döry von Jobaháza). In 1904 he had married the famous actress Anne Hollingworth-Price, widowed Princess von Ardeck (born August 25, 1868 in Wilmington USA, † February 4, 1904; daughter of a wealthy oil magnate). The couple furnished the castle with numerous art treasures. Since the castle was already electrically lit in 1910, it is not surprising that the news of the second richest castle in Styria quickly spread. In World War II it was almost completely destroyed.
The Salesians of Don Bosco inherited the property through the baron's religious daughter . They turned the castle into an educational center, which attracted people from all over the world to retreat . For several decades it served as a cultural and religious event center. But as is so often the case in the eventful history of the castle, money played a not insignificant role and it was sold in 1999.
Web links
- Johnsdorf Castle on the Johnsdorf-Brunn website
- Entry via Johnsdorf to Burgen-Austria
- Entry on Schloss Johnsdorf in the Austria Forum (in the AEIOU Austria Lexicon )