Rosenburg Castle, Rosenburg, Austria

Rosenburg castle is one of Austria's most visited Renaissance castles. It is situated in the middle of a nature reserve which adds to its appeal. The Rosenburg was mentioned in a document for the first time in 1175, in relation to the area of the border along the Kamp River between Poigreich and the Babenberg settlements with the centres, the Benedictine Altenburg Abbey and the Gars-Thunau castle complex.

The Grabner brothers acquired the Rosenburg in 1487. From 1593–97, under the rule and by order of Sebastian Grabner, a Lutheran, most of the Gothic Rosenburg was demolished and the castle was reconstructed in Renaissance style with 13 towers. The Rosenburg remained in the possession of the Grabner family until 1604.

Finally, the Rosenburg became the property of the House of Sprinzenstein. A period of neglect followed, then several tragedies struck. Lightning caused a fire in 1721, and another fire broke out in 1751 which destroyed part of the courtyard gate and the chapel. In 1800, another fire damaged the Rosenburg; it was barely used for some 60 years thereafter. Fortunately, the Romantic Era caused a renewed interest in castles, and the castle was renovated by Count Ernst Carl von Hoyos-Sprinzenstein senior rebuilt the castle at great personal expense between 1859 and 1889. The castle is now a museum.

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User Reviews

Adi Vrabac (4 months ago)
The location is superb, a fairytale indeed. The castle is very beautiful and maintained properly, perfect for events. However, the hotel is rather rustic. Rooms don't have AC units and in the summer it is very hot and very difficult to sleep.

Crystal Leader (7 months ago)
This is a very charming old castle with modern styles and good taste. The David Austin roses are blooming in an old walled garden sheltered by old stone walls and with an ancient bridge going across over. The bridge leads to the oldest part of the castle containing a chapel with a dreamlike blue starry ceiling. You could join guided tours, but we didn't as they were conducted in German. Despite that, we enjoyed our visit greatly.

Paul Schweigl (8 months ago)
We had our wedding on the outdoor terrasse. It was a great experience very beautiful view and the Rosenburg team was also very reliable, engaged and forthcoming in the preparations. The price was also very reasonable. The castle is also a great occasion for a day trip since it has beautiful gardens (especially in spring), a falcon show and climbing park nearby. I also highly recommend the Christmas market at the castle in December. Overall, I highly recommend a visit or a wedding there.

林Yojimbo (12 months ago)
Great place for Birds of Prey show. One big suggestion, sit on the second set of benches, the birds are trained to fly between the first row and the space between the first and second set of benches. They fly low and close. They might be able to pick up and fly away with your toddler, if you're not careful. After the show, the restaurant in the park is great, too. The staff are very friendly but speaking German is highly recommended. Food came out fast and was still steaming hot. Cannot comment on the castle, didn't go in.

Mladen Stanev (2 years ago)
Nice, romantic and old castle. The spirit of Renaissance is all around here. Great stage with excellent performance!

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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.

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