Wagrain Castle

Wagrain Castle was first mentioned in 1135. From 1447 on, it belonged to the Engl family of Steyr. In 1499, the property was raised to a noble estate by Emperor Maximilian I. Except for a religiously motivated break in 1620, the castle and its estate remained with the Engl family until the early 20th century. In 1717 the Engls were raised to Counts. With the death of Count Siegmund Engl in 1911, the male line became extinct. His daughter wedded a Count von Spiegelfeld. In 1950, the Spiegelfeld family sold the castle to the town of Vöcklabruck. Since then, it has been used as a school and for cultural purposes.

The present castle consist of two of the formerly four round towers, a main building and two side wings. Two of the original towers were demolished during an expansion in the 18th century. Thereby the gateway tower was completely erased. In 1980, the household building east of the castle was torn down to be replaced by a workshop. By the erection of an annex building in 2000, the previously U-shaped facility was completely enclosed and a courtyard was created. The annex is a modern reinforced concrete construction with a flat roof. Its courtward side is entirely made up of glass.

The two-storey old part features a hip roof and a mansard gable. On the gable's southern front, the coat of arms of the Engl family is engraved with its motto: '1448 Fürchte Gott, Tue Recht, Scheue Niemand 1848 (Fear God, Act Just, Eschew None)'. The arcades of the supplementary buildings have meanwhile been glazed. Today it Wagrain castle hosts Bundesrealgymnasium Vöcklabruck (High School). Due to the school, the site can only be inspected from outside.

References:

• Wikipedia

Address

Schloßstraße 31, Vöcklabruck, Austria

Details

Founded: 12th century
Category: Castles and fortifications in Austria