Schallaburg Castle, Schallaburg, Austria

The central part of the Schallaburg Castle was built in the German Renaissance Age, beginning around 1540, by the Losenstein dynasty. The castle is combination of a Romanesque residential castle and a Gothic chapel, patterned in the Italian Renaissance style. Aesthetically built, it has a well-decorated two-storied arcaded court with elegant cantilevered staircases and a courtyard. The decorations are in terracotta mosaic depicting mythological figures, gods, masks and human beings and animals; a legendary mythical figurine here is known as Hundefräulein (a female human figure with a dog’s head).

At the gate entrance to the castle, there are two large 'smoke-spewing dragons', each 30 metres long and 6 metres high, which is a favourite entertainment spot for the children to slide down its mouth from the top. Its culturally rich Mannerist gardens have roses, ornamental trees and bushes and herbs planted in the gardens in the town, and two Renaissance apple orchards.

References:

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User Reviews

b w (2 years ago)
Always a treat to visit the castle with beautiful arcades. For the past years additional rooms are accessable which are not part of the yearly exhibition but part of the remaining castle.

Miss Chella (2 years ago)
Cute little castle and archery experience. Cozy with cakes and local wines. Very nice experience.

Twan Engels (2 years ago)
Depending on the exhibition it can be interesting to go here. Nice castle, although there is reconstructionwork going on. We decided to visit and just take a walk because the exhibit was for kids. Not by far worth the 28 euros for 2 adults if the castle itself is being renovated. Then again we are happy to contribute to keep it in good shape.

Paulo Karvaly Viégas Fernandes (4 years ago)
Amazing place! Very friendly to families. If you are with kids, ask for a kit at the entrance. The restaurant inside is also worth a lunch or a quick meal. Friendly staff, tasty food and reasonable price.

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Sigmaringen Castle

Sigmaringen Castle was first mentioned in the year 1077 in the chronicles of Petershausen monastery. The oldest parts of the castle are concealed beneath the alterations made during the 17th and the 19th centuries. The secret of the earliest settlement built on this defendable rock will never be fully revealed: large-scale excavation work would be necessary, which the extensive land development renders impossible. Judging from the many Roman remains unearthed in the area around Sigmaringen, the 12th century keep known as the 'Roman Tower' could be traced back to a Roman predecessor.

The castle remains that have been preserved (gate, great hall and keep) date back to the Staufer period around 1200. The castle remains were integrated into subsequent buildings. The foundations of the castle buildings are to a large extent identical to the surrounding castle wall.

These remains give us a good idea of how the castle might have looked during the 12th century.

Schallaburg Castle

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