Willdegg castle in the midst of gardens, meadows and vineyards was founded in the first half of the 13th century by the Habsburgs. For eleven generations Wildegg Castle was owned by the Effinger family. During that time the castle was expanded several times. The gardens in their seasonal change are an oasis of calm and an invitation to stroll, smell and marvel.
The site consists of a well-preserved 13th-century keep and palas, which was converted into a baroque style residential building at the end of the 17th century.
These days, visitors experience authenticity with historic gardens and lifestyle. The living and working rooms of the castle are originally furnished and show the sophisticated culture and the exquisite taste of the Effinger family. Visitors find furniture and paintings, stoves and painted wallpaper, watches and lamps, porcelain dishes and weapons from various epochs, always of the finest quality.
The gardens in their seasonal change are an oasis of calm and an invitation to stroll, smell and marvel. The kitchen and pleasure garden of the castle is a display window for rare garden and field plants as well as berries from the ProSpecieRara Foundation. In the rose garden, historic and numerous varieties of rare roses are blooming. The bistro offers the guests a choice of simple refreshments. For the children there are many games to pass the time in the castle’s barn. A visit to a castle of a different type is to choose the Trail Wildegg from Schlossfoxtrail. The visitors solve funny puzzles, decode secret messages and try to find the right track in the beautiful scenery.
References:The Château de Foix dominates the town of Foix. An important tourist site, it is known as a centre of the Cathars. Built on an older 7th-century fortification, the castle is known from 987. In 1002, it was mentioned in the will of Roger I, Count of Carcassonne, who bequeathed the fortress to his youngest child, Bernard. In effect, the family ruling over the region were installed here which allowed them to control access to the upper Ariège valley and to keep surveillance from this strategic point over the lower land, protected behind impregnable walls.
In 1034, the castle became capital of the County of Foix and played a decisive role in medieval military history. During the two following centuries, the castle was home to Counts with shining personalities who became the soul of the Occitan resistance during the crusade against the Albigensians.