The very picturesque medieval castle of Kreuzensstein is located just 17 km from Vienna in the quiet village of Leobendorf. The owner of Kreuzenstein was very romantic and soulful and wished to build a castle in the spirit of Neuschwanstein - which he successfully succeeded in. Kreuzenstein stands on the banks of the Danube like a fairy-tale castle of the German epics, and inside it you can see one of the largest private collections in Austria bladed weapons - it would be enough to equip a hundred medieval knights

A little history History of the Castle Kreuzenstein too. long - it only totals four hundred years . Despite the fact that the first building on the site of the present castle was built already in the 12th century and belonged to the royal family of the Habsburgs, little was left of it - in the 17th century during the Thirty Years it Kreuzenstein War was blown up, and survived only fragments of a powerful foundation . castle stood in ruins until the late 19th century, when recreating the former glory Kreuzenstein took Count Wilczek . Kreuzenstein reconstructed according to old drawings literally stone by stone, and upon completion of construction in 1906 he appeared before the admiring public even more brilliant than before . Among other things, Count Wilczek filled the halls of Kreuzenstein with numerous exhibits from the chivalrous history of different castles in Europe, and today it is magnificent but the living spirit of that glorious epoch is felt .

What to see

For starters it is worth to enjoy the grandeur of the castle from afar - Kreuzenstein is located 260 meters above the Danube and is perfectly visible from afar . Approaching closer, attention to a wide ditch and a lifting bridge leading to the main gate to the castle . From the ditch you can get into the underground tunnel; in a cave at the very beginning put one of the trophies Kreuzenstein owner - the skeleton of whale, produced during the polar expedition in 1872 . Among other things, this tunnel can be run to the banks of the Danube in the case of a long siege of the castle In the inner . the courtyard are located the Clock tower and the chapel, a pavilion for servants, stables and groom room and a well 60 meters deep . massive iron rings on the walls were used for tying horses, and luxurious linden were planted personally by Count Wilczek .

Entering the castle's living quarters , First go to the Armory room - here exhibited the largest collection of edged weapons from antiquity to the late Middle Ages . The magnificent chapel note the carved oak doors, a Gothic altar with carved panels 47 and thirty-stained 15th century Graz . oldest an exhibit of the chapel - bas-relief of baptism 8 at . In the Knight's Hall you can get the most vivid idea of ​​the medieval life in the castle, and in the Count's Hall - see the 500-year-old wooden alcove where the owner of Kroitsenstein was staying . Charming detail: next to the bed, a "dream board" was hanged, where it was possible to record the visions immediately after awakening. .

There is a huge amount of weapons in the Hunting Hall, which the earman skillfully used for hunting, the confirmation of which is the mass of trophies and the absolutely amazing horn of the unicorn (!), An unusual but true story of the capture of which tourists will be told during the excursion. Among the exhibits of the castle kitchen attention is drawn to the 7-meter oak table that had to be transported on the river from Salzburg to Kreuzenstein, medieval version aerogrill -. "Vindbrater" and a device for the production of spaghetti 16th century

Address and hours of work

Address: Kreuzensteiner Strasse, Leobendorf. From Vienna to Leobendorf you can get on an S-Bahn train from the S3 route. The journey time to Leobendorf-Burg Kreuzenstein station is about 30 minutes; The way from the station to the castle can be reached on foot in about 40 minutes

Opening hours: in winter the castle does not work, and from April 1 to November 1, tourists are waiting for tourists without days off; from 10:00 to 16:00 on weekdays and from 10:00 to 17:00 on Sundays. Visiting is possible only as part of an organized tour, which starts every hour.

The cost of the visit is 10 EUR.

Kreuzenstein Castle at night

Kreuzenshtain Castle

Kreuzenshtain Castle

Backyard of the castle of Kreuzenstein

Crownsstein's Raptors of the Castle

Beautiful balcony, Kreuzenstein Castle

Kreuzenshtain Castle Fair