Burg Metternich was mentioned in documents first time 1268, when it was owned by Johann von Braunshorn. It is thought the castle is even older, with some historians indicating 1129 as the year of construction. Until the first half of 17th century, the castle was owned by Counts von Nassau-Dillenburg.
The castle was not damaged badly before 1689, when French army destroyed the castle during the Nine Years' War. It was never completely rebuilt.
The last member of the family to own the castle was Klemens von Metternich, one of the most famous diplomats of the Austrian Empire – he was foreign minister from 1809 to 1848.
Today there is a hotel and restaurant.
References:The Church of St Donatus name refers to Donatus of Zadar, who began construction on this church in the 9th century and ended it on the northeastern part of the Roman forum. It is the largest Pre-Romanesque building in Croatia.
The beginning of the building of the church was placed to the second half of the 8th century, and it is supposed to have been completed in the 9th century. The Zadar bishop and diplomat Donat (8th and 9th centuries) is credited with the building of the church. He led the representations of the Dalmatian cities to Constantinople and Charles the Great, which is why this church bears slight resemblance to Charlemagne's court chapels, especially the one in Aachen, and also to the Basilica of San Vitale in Ravenna. It belongs to the Pre-Romanesque architectural period.
The circular church, formerly domed, is 27 m high and is characterised by simplicity and technical primitivism.