Rosenburg Castle
The medieval Rosenburg Castle stands on the rocky banks of the Kamp River among forested hills in Lower Austria. The Kamptal National Park is located around the castle. The majestic structure is surrounded by amazing fountains, fragrant gardens of roses and a 100-meter-long wall of them, sturdy perennial oaks, and cheerful green glades. Since 1678, the Hoyos family has been the owners of the castle. In the distance, you can see the Altenburg Monastery, a magnificent masterpiece in the luxurious Baroque style.
The history of Rosenburg Castle
The first mention of the castle dates back to 1175. Initially, it was an impregnable fortress at that time, surrounded by a pentagonal courtyard. The Rosenberg family owned the castle. The purpose of the construction is to control the trade routes from Bohemia to Vienna, more simply to collect passage fees. In 1433, during the Hussite uprising, the castle was captured, looted and half destroyed by them. No one has tried to restore it for a long time.
In 1476, K. von Rogendorf, the steward at the court of Frederick III, became the owner of the Castle of Roses. He spent a lot of effort and managed to restore the castle. In 1486 Rosenburg was bought by the Grabner brothers, who continued to improve and expand their new properties. Three generations of Grabners continued to work on the castle. Under the influence of the epoch, it turned into a fortified castle in the Renaissance architectural style. Sebastian Grabner invested so much money in the reconstruction that he got into huge debts. The castle has changed owners again. Now it was a grandiose, but rather compact structure surrounded by 13 towers, which can still be seen today. In addition, the built jousting ground was impressive in its size. It is the largest in Europe: 67 x 46 m.
From 1527 to 1532, Rosenburg belonged to the Spanish Order of chivalry. In 1611, Cardinal F. became the owner of the castle. Von Dietrichstein. There was a Protestant chapel in the castle, the cardinal decided to convert it into a Catholic church. The Thirty Years' War began. In 1620, the Protestant Baron von Hofkirchen seized the castle. He dealt with the small garrison of the castle and its inhabitants. Rosenburg suffered from the destruction again. Half a century later, the new owners, the Hoyos family, took over the restoration and reconstruction. A fire that broke out in 1800 caused enormous damage to the castle. Rosenburg was restored only in 1860.
Castle interior
Rosenburg Castle has 26 huge halls, the interiors of which are impressive. The walls are decorated with excellent paintings, antique paintings and a collection of hunting rifles. The marble floor is lined with unique ornaments. The library, which consists of several halls, has bookcases filled with more than 40,000 copies dated from the 16th to the 19th centuries. The halls of the castle feature a magnificent display of weapons from the Middle Ages and modern times. Swords, daggers, hunting and fighting rifles, knives, spears, bows, arrows, crossbows and even small cannons. Deer antlers and equipment for hunting with falcons are hung on the walls.
Falconry and jousting tournament
A falconry show is regularly held in the castle park. Everyone is shown how hunting goes, how wild kites and falcons are tamed. It's just an unforgettable experience when a bird, even if it's not very big, lands on your hand. My hand is in a glove, safe, but my heart just freezes with emotion. Stylized tournaments are held on the jousting ground. Real medieval knights, the clash of swords, horses in ammunition – everything is so real that the audience begins to feel like representatives of that ancient era.
The exhibition "The Life of the Nobility" presents magnificent dishes, furniture and much more, immersing in the atmosphere of everyday life of that time. Medieval festivals and concerts are held in the palace and park complex in summer. The owner of the castle, Marcus Hoyos, is currently restoring and arranging new exhibitions.
