BURGRUINE AGGSTEIN
Located in the Wachau region, on the right bank of the Danube, are the well-preserved ruins of Aggstein Castle.
An outing to the castle ruins is quite an experience. You will be able to explore the picturesque ruins and enjoy the magical views from high above the Danube.
Aggstein Castle was originally constructed by the Kuenringers in 1100 to protect merchants travelling through the Danube Valley. Manegold von Aggstein lent this castle high above the Danube his name.
In the following 300 years, it was destroyed and rebuilt several times. From 1429 until 1436, it was expanded by Jörg Scheck von Wald. Scheck von Wald soon became a robber baron, however, delighting in the plunder of barges sailing down the Danube. Because of his horrific acts, he ultimately became known by the locals as "Schreckenwald"".
Most of that part of the castle which can still be seen today, comes from this era, such as the "Little Rose Garden". This 4m-wide and 10m-long rocky outcropping is woven in legend. During his reign of terror, the unscrupulous Scheck von Wald is said to have staked out his prisoners there and allowed them to starve, or even forced them to jump into the depths below.
When the deterioration of the castle could no longer be
averted, its stones and beams were used in the construction of Langegg Abbey. Of
the original castle, the remains of the three-storey “Ladies
Tower” and palace are still preserved. But even the ruins of the once
so imposing castle, including stone walls that tower high into the sky, still are
an impressive sight for today’s visitors. Wooden stairways allow
visitors to climb up the castle’s two towers.
Since the Aggstein Castle Ruins underwent a through
rehabilitation, visitors can also enjoy a number of new
attractions: viewing platforms, information and interactive stations, a
theme walk through the ruins (providing extensive insights
into the life and goings-on of the
Middle Ages, the newly redesigned entrance area, a Knights’ Hall,
along with better systems to assist the public in
navigating the castle grounds.
