Schloss Schönbühel is a castle in the

Lower Austria Lower Austria (german: Niederösterreich; Austro-Bavarian: ''Niedaöstareich'', ''Niedaestareich'') is one of the nine states of Austria, located in the northeastern corner of the country. Since 1986, the capital of Lower Austria has been Sankt P ...

n town of

Schönbühel-Aggsbach Schönbühel-Aggsbach is a town in the district of Melk in the Austrian state of Lower Austria Lower Austria (german: Niederösterreich; Austro-Bavarian: ''Niedaöstareich'', ''Niedaestareich'') is one of the nine states of Austria, located in t ...

, below

Melk Melk (; older spelling: ) is a city of Austria, in the federal state of Lower Austria, next to the Wachau valley along the Danube. Melk has a population of 5,257 (as of 2012). It is best known as the site of a massive baroque Benedictine monastery ...

on the right bank of the

Danube The Danube ( ; ) is a river that was once a long-standing frontier of the Roman Empire and today connects 10 European countries, running through their territories or being a border. Originating in Germany, the Danube flows southeast for , pa ...

. The origins of the castle date from the early twelfth century.

History

The castle is built on rock approximately above the level of the river

. A Roman fortress may have stood there before. The castle was begun in the early twelfth century by Marchwardus de Schoenbuchele as a defensive fortress. When his descendant Ulrich von Schonpihel died at the beginning of the fourteenth century, the family was extinguished. The castle was briefly owned by Conrad von Eisenbeutel, and then by the

Abbey of Melk Melk Abbey (german: Stift Melk) is a Benedictine abbey above the town of Melk, Lower Austria, Austria, on a rocky outcrop overlooking the Danube river, adjoining the Wachau valley. The abbey contains the tomb of Saint Coloman of Stockerau and the ...

. In 1396 it was sold to the brothers Caspar and Gundaker von

Starhemberg The House of Starhemberg is the name of an old and distinguished Austrian nobility, Austrian noble family originating from Upper Austria, specifically Steyr and :de:Burgstall Steinbach, Steinbach. Members of the family played important polit ...

. It remained in the Starhemberg family for more than 400 years, but fell into disrepair. In 1819 Prince Ludwig Josef von Starhemberg sold it, together with the castle of Aggstein, to Count Franz von Beroldingen, who had it renovated and partially rebuilt, so that by 1821 it was again habitable. In 1930 the Schönbühel estate was sold to Count Oswald von Seilern und Aspang.

References

External links

History of the castle
(in German) on the website of the town of Schönbühel-Aggsbach Castles in Lower Austria {{LowerAustria-geo-stub

History

References

Further reading

External links