Burg Kreuzenstein: A Historic Castle in Lower Austria

Visitor Information

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Official Website: www.kreuzenstein.com

Country: Austria

Civilization: Early Modern, Medieval European, Modern

Site type: Military

Remains: Castle

History

Burg Kreuzenstein stands near Leobendorf in Lower Austria, built originally in the 12th century by the Counts of Formbach. Ownership passed through marriage to the Counts of Wasserburg. In 1278, the castle came under the control of the Habsburg dynasty through Ottokar II of Bohemia, marking its integration into a larger imperial domain.

In the early 16th century, the castle played a role in religious conflict. In 1527, the Anabaptist preacher Balthasar Hubmaier was imprisoned and interrogated there. After refusing to renounce his beliefs, he was executed in Vienna the following year. This episode reflects the castle’s use as a site of detention and religious enforcement during the Reformation.

Until the mid-17th century, Burg Kreuzenstein remained unconquered. However, in 1645 during the Thirty Years’ War, Swedish forces led by Field Marshal Lennart Torstensson took the castle without resistance. The Swedes ordered partial demolition at several points, leaving the fortress in ruins.

In the 18th century, the Wilczek family acquired the ruined castle. Wealth from Silesian coal mines enabled Count Johann Nepomuk Wilczek to begin a major reconstruction in 1874. Over thirty years, the castle was rebuilt as a “show castle,” blending original medieval ruins with authentic medieval architectural elements gathered from across Europe. This restoration aimed to evoke a romantic medieval atmosphere rather than replicate the original fortress exactly.

Architect Carl Gangolf Kayser directed the reconstruction until 1895, followed by Humbert Walcher von Molthein and artist Egon Rheinberger. A family crypt was constructed beneath the chapel, where Count Wilczek was later buried. The castle was furnished with medieval artifacts, including one of the oldest surviving catapults, acquired from Hohensalzburg Castle.

The restored castle officially reopened on 6 June 1906, with German Emperor Wilhelm II attending the ceremony. In 1915, a lightning strike caused fire damage to the archive and library wing. During World War II in 1945, fighting between German and Soviet troops inflicted heavy damage on parts of the castle, and many collection items were stolen. Some manuscripts from the Wilczek collection are now preserved in the Austrian National Library.

Today, Burg Kreuzenstein remains in the Wilczek family’s possession, maintaining its historical legacy through preservation and cultural activities.

Remains

Burg Kreuzenstein is a hilltop castle built on a ridge above the Rohrwald forest near the Danube River. It follows a ring-shaped layout around a central courtyard, combining medieval ruins with 19th-century neo-romantic additions. The structure includes multiple towers, residential buildings, a defensive wall, and a moat.

The castle’s construction primarily uses exposed stone masonry. Original medieval masonry is visually distinct from the 19th-century reconstruction. Surviving medieval elements include parts of the ring wall, remains of the east tower, and sections of the chapel.

The west façade is narrow and features a polygonal northwest tower adjoining the chapel’s gable front. The chapel contains tracery windows and a crucifix dating to around 1520. Next to the chapel stands a polygonal bell tower decorated with crockets and finials. Atop this tower is a 16th-century bronze statue of Saint Michael, with wings, sword, and shield added during the 19th-century restoration.

The main entrance on the west side is reached by a high masonry arch bridge and a drawbridge leading to the gatehouse. The gatehouse includes a projecting turret known as a pecherker. Beyond the gatehouse lies the zwinger, or outer ward, an enclosed defensive area.

Inside the castle is the Kaschau Gallery, a large Gothic tracery arcade originally from the west gallery of St. Elisabeth Cathedral in Košice (formerly Kaschau). This feature dates to about 1450 and was acquired and installed during the 19th-century rebuilding. A Renaissance spiral staircase from 1555, taken from the castle of Göllersdorf, connects the courtyard to upper floors and the roof.

Beneath the chapel lies the family crypt of the Wilczek family. Despite damage from a 1915 lightning fire and wartime fighting in 1945, repairs have preserved the castle in good condition. The medieval elements remain distinguishable from later additions.

The castle’s elevated position near the Danube’s Wiener Pforte water gap offers extensive views of the river and the Korneuburg basin. Across the Danube stands Burg Greifenstein, another historic fortress.