Burg Ottenstein

Burg Ottenstein

The Ottenstein Castle is a hill fort in the Waldviertel in Lower Austria and stands on a hill overlooking the Lake Ottenstein.

One of the Ottenstein was Hugo de Ottenstaine, which was first mentioned in 1177. However, the castle itself is likely to be older. The Ottensteiner were related to the Lords of Rauheneck in Baden. The castle was up in the first half of the 15th century in their property.

As the owner followed a Tobias von Rohr, who was taken prisoner but due to his assault in 1448 after a siege of the castle. Later, the men of pipe were in the service of Matthias Corvinus. 1516 the castle came into the possession of Paul Stodoligk. Under his son Eustace were numerous alterations, like the bailey performed. In 1536 it was sold to the Lamberg family and was more than 400 years in possession. The Lamberg were collected in 1544 in the baron and the surname of the Barons of Ortenegg and Ottenstein. In 1667 they were Counts.

Twice the castle was besieged during the Thirty Years' War, both times in 1622 and 1640 without success.

As of 1679 made ​​numerous Baroque alterations, which are still visible today. The chapel, St.. Consecrated Florian, was provided by Lorando Aliprandi with much stucco. In the so-called popes room portraits hang of 241 popes.

The art collection that was created by Lamberg, presented Franz Adam Lamberg 1822 of the resultant Gallery of the Academy of Fine Arts in Vienna.

Like many other castles it has been romanticized to 1867-1878 and received cones and tent roofs and red-white- red shutters.

One of the oldest parts of the castle include the castle chapel with frescoes from the second half of the 12th century, which were uncovered in 1975.

By 1940, the area was entsiedelt around the castle because of the construction of the training area Döllersheim. The castle was sold to the German Reich. So it was placed as a former German property after the Second World War by the Soviet occupying power under USIA management and used as accommodation officer, said it was badly affected. The leased since 1958 by EVN castle is owned by the Windhag'schen Scholarship Foundation.

For tourist use a castle restaurant was established in the outer bailey. 2001 there was a national exhibition with the theme of being and meaning, castle and man in cooperation with the nearby castle forest kingdom.