Burgruine Aggstein

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Aggstein castle ruins

The ruins Aggstein is the residue of a castle on the right bank of the Danube in the Wachau, whose origins go back to the 12th century. The ruin is located about 300 meters altitude above the right bank of the Danube on a running east -west spur of rock. It is about 150 meters long and has at both ends a rock structure. The ruin is located in the municipality of Aggsbach the district of Melk in Lower Austria.

History

Presumably, the castle was in the early 12th century by Manegold III. built by Acchispach ( Aggsbach ). In 1181 it came into the possession of Kuenringer of Aggsbach Goose creek. When the uprising Kuenringer under Hadmar III. and his vassals against Duke Frederick II it was 1230/31 besieged and conquered. In the dispute over the succession of Frederick II, during the " ruler -less time," changed the Kuenringer some times the pages. So it was that I excelled Leutold of Kuenring the revolt of the Austrian aristocracy against Duke Albrecht I.. Subsequently, the castle from 1295 to 1296 was again besieged and conquered. The last Kuenringer Leutold II had the castle from 1348 to 1355. Afterwards she fell progressively.

1429 withdrew Duke Albrecht V of the Ministerialengeschlecht corn Auer Castle and enfeoffed it to his chamberlain (Georg ) Jörg check from the forest. He obliged him to rebuild the ruined castle to secure the Danube. 1438 got check from the forest and the toll rights for upstream ships. In return he had for the preservation of the tows, where the ships were drawn upstream, care. To this end, he built on the riverbank toll house, which now serves as a forester's house. Over time he became a robber baron, by robbing the ships on the Danube. Hence his name " Schreckenwald ", said to have been intended for him because of his cruelty by the population. 1463 was the castle of another later robber baron, Georg von Stain, besieged. He defeated Maintenance of forest and took over the castle as a pledge, as the Duke is said to have had money in debt to him. In 1476 he was expelled from Ulrich Freiherr von Graveneck, who until 1477 dominated the castle in the years 1476 until he was forced to give up the castle.

1477 took over Duke Leopold III. the castle itself and it occupied with tenants and carers in order to stop the looting. 1529 the castle by a group of Ottomans was burned at the first Turkish siege of Vienna. It was again established and provided with loopholes for defense with the help of artillery.

1606 Anna Baroness acquired by Polheim and PARZ, the widow of the last tenant, the castle. After her death the castle was neglected. In 1685 it passed into the possession of Count Ernst Rüdiger von Starhemberg with the castle Schoenbuehel. Ludwig Josef Gregor from Starhemberk sold the possessions in 1819 to Count Franz von Beroldingen. Owned by the Beroldinger they remained until 1930, until the estate was sold with the Schoenbuehel Aggstein to Count Oswald von Seilern - Aspang.

Hadmar III. of Kuenring should have considered impregnable castle. In fact, there is no evidence that the castle was ever stormed. Probably led other measures, such as starvation, to conquer the castle.

Today the ruins Aggstein has about 55,000 visitors annually one of the most visited attractions in Lower Austria.

Architectural History

Built at the beginning of the 12th century, the castle at the time of Kuenringer was at least twice successfully besieged and destroyed. From this time only a few foundations on the so-called Biirgel, a rocky outcrop in the west, and on the stone, a rock building on the east side of the castle date. 1429 was that they referred to as forfeited and erected by Jörg check from forest again. Then the castle was rebuilt in the time from 1429 to 1436 by the population of the area through forced labor and enlarged. Most parts still preserved, such as the remains of the three-story tower woman, of the great hall and the Gothic chapel, go back to this reconstruction. At this time, the well-known rose garden was established.

After the pillage by the Ottomans, the castle was converted into artillery defense and equipped with loopholes.

Under Anna Baroness von Polheim and PARZ the castle was renovated in 1606 and by the means provided with Kanzleibauten castle in Renaissance style. After her death, the decline of the castle was unstoppable. So stones and parts of the entablature on the establishment of the nearby Servite Monastery Maria Langegg were used. Among the first Beroldingern assurance measures were implemented to preserve the ruins and completed under Oswald of rope-makers. 2003-2004 the project more attractive castle ruins Aggstein was reacted with total 49 630 euros by the State of Lower Austria and the EU EAGGF funds. This defective brickwork was restored, sewers, water lines, and engineering were repaired, remodeled the entrance area and designed a new Knights' Hall.

Share to Aggstein

Hadmar and the iron chain

Hadmar III. of Kuenring to using an iron chain that was stretched across the Danube, downstream moving vessels hijacked. When this Duke Friederich was too much, he wanted to storm the castle. These resisted all attacks. So he used a trick. A merchant named Rüdiger from Vienna was attacked by Hadmar several times already. This was sent to Regensburg. He fitted out a strong ship. Top with valuable cargo, loaded down with heavily armed soldiers, it went down the Danube. From Schoenbuehel from a ship with a rich loading was reported by Aggstein. The ship was stopped. The rich cargo attracted Hadmar itself to the ship. When he walked in, he was overwhelmed by the soldiers. Then, the ship left the same and went with the prisoner to Vienna to Duke. The abandoned castle was soon taken out. The Duke gave Hadmar the life and freedom, but he was obliged to return all stolen goods and make good any damage. A few years later he should have died on a pilgrimage to Passau in a small village on the upper Danube.

Jörg check from forest and the rose garden

The most famous legend is that of the rose garden. It was assumed that Jörg check his prisoners each on the stone slab that stood as the Balcony of the castle, also locked, so that they could starve to death or jumping to their deaths. The locked-out workers reminded to always check roses, from which the name originates rose garden. Twice, however, prisoners managed to escape by jumping into the surrounding treetops. The second time the bells from the valley began to ring so loudly that check it was insane and thus could be easily defeated by Georg von Stain.

On his journey through the Wachau Joseph Victor von Scheffel wrote a poem to this place, which is known mainly for its illustrated circuit on KISELAK:

Others

On November 30, 1973, the Austrian post brought to this design a Definitive Stamp series landscapes from Austria to five shillings out.