Join us to visit a true medieval castle with a fascinating history about dominating the Danube.
The Burgruine Aggstein - “castle ruins of Aggstein” is a ruined castle on the right bank of the Danube in Wachau. Dating back to the 12th century, the castle stands 480 metres above sea level. Both ends of the some 150 metres long structure lay on natural rock.
The castle was probably built at the beginning of the 12th century by Manegold III of Acchispach. In 1181, it fell into the hands of the Kuenring family of Aggsbach-Gansbach and was further conquered in 1231 during the uprising led by Hadmar III.
The last Kuenring ruler, Leopold II, held the castle from 1348 to 1355 after which it fell into disrepair. In 1429, Duke Albert V assigned the castle to his chamberlain, Jörg Scheck von Wald who rebuilt the ruined castle to secure the passage of ships on the Danube. In 1438 he received the right to tolls for ships travelling upriver. In return, he had to maintain the towpaths by which the barges were drawn upstream. Over time, he became a robber baron raiding the ships on the Danube and was known as “Schreckenwald" - Terror Forest playing words on his family name.
Over the years the castle kept changing owners until the Turks burned it during the fist Turkish siege of Vienna. Although rebuilt, from the 17th century onwards it was neglected and fell completely into ruins until Count Oswald von Seilern Aspang acquired it in 1930. Today, some 55,000 tourists visit the Aggstein ruins every year, making it one of the most popular tourist attractions in Lower Austria.
Do not forget to check the tine outdoor platform. The cruel Jörg Scheck vom Wald confined his most troublesome prisoners there. He called it his garden of roses where his captives could either starve or jump to their deaths.
As part of a series of postage stamps featuring the landscapes of Austria, on 30 November 1973 the Austrian Postal Service printed the castle on a 5-Schilling stamp.
The tour is not good for persons in wheelchairs or with a pram. The courtyard, the tavern, the fountain courtyard, the knights' hall and the toilets are accessible for visitors with wheelchairs but a second person is required to walk along the difficult gravel path.
There is a tavern in the inner yard and, and despite everything, an accessible loos behind the ticket office. The museum shop is full of medieval stuff to decorate your shelves at home. The castle café serves drinks and snacks.
Burgruine Aggstein
A-3394 Kuenringerstraße 13
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