Engelstein Castle

Engelstein Castle, locally known as Burg Engelstein, lies in the village of the same name, in the province of Lower Austria in Austria.

Engelstein Castle was first mentioned in 1417 as a property of Georg von Klingen. However, the castle is probably much older. It is probable that, at first, it was a simple watchtower guarding a nearby road crossing, which was upgraded to a water castle after the destruction of Hadmarstein Castle on the nearby Johannisberg mountain at the end of the 13th century. It was situated on a granite cliff surrounded on 3 sides by small lakes.

In 1531, the castle passed to Benedikt Schaul, who began transforming the still-medieval fortress into a Renaissance castle. The Barons of Windhag continued this elaborate reconstruction and gave the castle its present outlook. The costs, however, were so enormous that the barons were soon heavily indebted, after which the castle was confiscated at the end of the 16th century.

In 1619, Engelstein Castle was stormed by Imperial troops and plundered. In 1681, it was bought by Adam Anton Graf Gundemann, whose descendants owned the castle for the next 150 years. Then it went to the Barons of Geusau, who owned it until 1916.

Several other owners followed until it was acquired by the industrialist Erich Meinl in 1964. By then, the castle was in a poor state, having been plundered and neglected during and after World War II. Now the bailey is inhabited by a descendant of Meinl.

At present, Engelstein Castle is privately owned and cannot be visited. It is relatively easy to see from the public road. Again, curious about its interior.

Gallery