Waldenfels Castle

Schloss Waldenfels is a castle complex in the Mühlviertel region of Upper Austria, located 500 meters south of the town of Reichenthal. According to tradition, the first castle was built around 1290 by brothers Heinrich and Eberhard von Wallsee. However, Waldenfels was first mentioned in records in 1380 as a fief of Duke Albert III. In 1390, the duke purchased the estate and pawned it to the Starhemberg family in 1396. Between 1449 and 1461, the pawned estate passed to the Lower Austrian Plankensteiner family, as Hans von Plankenstein transferred the castle to Reinprecht von Polheim in 1461. In 1474, Waldenfels was besieged by Jaroslav Lev of Rosental, the Chief Steward of the Kingdom of Bohemia, and the outlawed Freistadt patrician Zinispan.

In 1584, the last pawnholder, Joachim Stangel, bought the castle from Emperor Rudolf II, and his family retained ownership until 1636. In that year, Konstantin Grundemann von Falkenberg purchased the estate, and it has remained in the family ever since. After World War II, the castle housed around 700 Soviet soldiers, and the following 12 years were spent repairing the damage from the occupation. The current owner is Dominik Grundemann-Falkenberg.

Architecture

The castle is situated on a gentle slope and consists of an extensive, irregular group of buildings incorporating medieval, Renaissance, and Baroque elements. Its current appearance dates to the early 17th century. A courtyard with a 1702 well is surrounded by two-story wings with arcaded galleries from the 16th century. The courtyard is partly enclosed by a massive, square tower with a Baroque onion dome and a crenellated wall. The residential buildings are two-story structures. Above the stone portal, which includes a small door and a large gate, is the coat of arms of the Counts Grundemann.

The medieval main castle was integrated into the existing structure. The southwestern terrace, known as the 'Tournament Court' from the 17th century, is now a garden enclosed by an arched wall. One wing contains an artificial grotto with stalactites and a female figure.

Address

Hayrl 16, Reichenthal, Austria

Details

Founded: c. 1290
Category: Castles and fortifications in Austria