Schallaburg Castle is situated near Melk Abbey in Lower Austria.
Positioned among hills in the Danube valley, Schallaburg castle combines imposing medieval ruins
with a splendid Renaissance palace.
Schallaburg Castle History
The
high-medieval sections dating from the 11th and 12th centuries are dominated by a three-storey
tower house and surrounded by crenellated walls; remains of the Romanesque crypt are preserved
under the present chapel. The Losenstein family inherited the castle in 1431. Most of the original
fabric was removed when Hans Wilhelm von Losenstein, Lord of nearby Loosdorf and a member of the
old Protestant gentry, decided to make his domain an important centre for the Protestant nobility.
Continuing work begun by his father, he had the castle extensively rebuilt and enlarged from 1572
to 1600.
At the
heart of the Renaissance structure is the great courtyard, the Terracottahof made by
Jakob Bernecker. The rich terracotta figurative decoration includes herms, caryatids, reliefs,
masks and heraldic emblems (many replaced in the 19th century) and presents allegories of the main
ethical and spiritual ideals of the period: the Seven Liberal Arts, eight Virtues and the Nine
Muses. Aside from the main entrance a vast tiltyard was laid out, and outer fortifications were
constructed. In 1614 Schallaburg castle passed to the Stubenberg family, also Protestants, but
never again attained comparable importance.
Schallaburg Castle
Visitor information
The Schallaburg
Castle was devastated in 1945, but it was restored in 1968–1974 and adapted as a
museum for annual art exhibitions.
Schallaburg Castle Map&Location
Schallaburg Castle is located near Melk Abbey,
Austria.
Adress: 3382 Schallaburg, Austria. Get help with directions using the map
provided bellow:
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Schallaburg Castle Photos
Schallaburg Castle
Shloss Schallaburg - Entrance
Schallaburg Castle Courtyard
Schallaburg Castle Courtyard Detail
Shloss Schallaburg Austria
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