Walkenstein Castle
| Walkenstein Castle | ||
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 2011 |
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| Conservation status: | renovated | |
| Place: | Walkenstein, Austria
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| Geographical location | 48 ° 41 '55.3 " N , 15 ° 43' 42.2" E | |
| Height: | 459 m above sea level A. | |
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Walkenstein Castle in Walkenstein in Lower Austria is a listed building.
history
Walkenstein was owned by the Babenbergs in 1074 , towards the end of the 13th century the Kuenringers are named as owners and between 1265 and 1324 a noble family, which presumably had the rule of the Kuenringer as a fief , named itself after Walkenstein.
The Bohemian mercenary leader Jaroslav conquered the castle in 1488, only to hand it over to King Matthias Corvinus . In 1645 the Swedes appeared as conquerors.
Johann Ehrenreich Freiherr von Sonnau and Reichersberg had the castle built in its current form between 1660 and 1671, which after several changes of ownership according to the purchase agreement of November 8, 1760 became the property of the Geras monastery under Abbot Paul Gratschmayer, which initially used it as an estate.
Abbot Adrian Lambert Zach, who tried to put the Geras Abbey on a broader economic basis, set up a cold water spa here in 1890. In April 1891 the Lieutenancy for Lower Austria issued a negative decision and refused the operating license. It was not until 1893 that the health resort could start operating with the community doctor Josef Wetchy as medical director.
Originally 30 rooms were available for spa guests, in 1904 an expansion of the spa facility to 40 rooms was approved by the authorities.
In 1914 , the community doctor and medical director Hans Gaßner had to join the military as a medical officer and was only able to exercise these functions again from 1918. During this time, the cold water sanatorium in Walkenstein Castle was closed and made available to the military by Abbot Adrian Lambert Zach as a rest home.
In 1939 the sanatorium, which was still run by Hans Gaßner, was finally closed. During the occupation , the castle suffered badly from the Soviet occupiers, but was later restored.
Walkenstein Castle is also mentioned in the prospectus of the I. Waldviertel Hydrotherapy Institute as the location of the Walkenstein Imperial Post and Telegraph Office.
description
The early baroque castle with 56.1 × 46.3 meters is facing Kainreith in a slightly elevated position in the south of Walkenstein in the immediate vicinity of the parish church.
Four single-storey tracts form a large rectangular courtyard measuring 36.1 × 26.3 meters, on the east and west of which there are ridge-covered arched arcades over prismatic pillars. The west wing is dominated by a square tower with a tent roof, cross and knob. Below the tower is the main portal framed by pilasters .
The three-part entablature and the broken segmented gable above bear an inscription plaque reminiscent of Johann Ehrenreich Baron von Sonnau and Reichersberg as well as an asymmetrical cartouche with the double coat of arms of the Geras monastery and Abbot Paul Gratschmayr.
What has been preserved from the original baroque garden is a terrace in front of the south side of the castle, below which there is a large, walled orchard and from which a baroque, two-flight staircase with remains of balustrades leads to the castle.
literature
- Austrian art topography, published by the kk central commission for art and historical monuments, volume V. The monuments of the political district of Horn in Lower Austria . on commission from Anton Schroll & Co, Vienna, 1911.
- Berger, Eva: Historical gardens of Austria: Lower Austria, Burgenland . Böhlau, Vienna, 2002, ISBN 3-205-99305-5 .
- DEHIO Lower Austria - north of the Danube 1990, ISBN 3-7031-0652-2 .
- Schweickhardt, Franz Xavier Joseph: Representation of the Archduchy of Austria under the Ens: by comprehensive description of all ruins, castles, lordships, cities, markets, villages, Rotten & c & c. topographical-statistical-genealogical-historical edit. and ranked according to the four existing districts. Ober-Manhardsberg district . 1840, p. 128 Google Ebook
- Waka, Leo: The cold water sanatorium Walkenstein in: The Waldviertel - magazine for local history . Issue 11, 1952.
- Prospectus of the I. Waldviertel hydropathic facility, Walkenstein Castle of the Premonstratensian Canons of Geras . (Austrian National Library, call number 445.024 A).
Web links
- Entry about Walkenstein Castle on Lower Austria Burgen online - Institute for Reality Studies of the Middle Ages and the Early Modern Era, University of Salzburg
- Entry via Walkenstein to Burgen-Austria