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CastleAurolzmünster
Aurolzmünster Castle
Aurolzmünster Castle is a castle located in the center of the market town of Aurolzmünster, also known as the "Innviertel Versailles".
Originally, there were two noble residences in Aurolzmünster. One was owned by the Counts of Halls and the other by the Murhaimer family. In 1312, Albert der Tannberger bought the seat of the Counts of Halls, and in 1375, Johannes der Tannberger acquired from Ulreich dem Murhaimer his seat in Awrolez Münster with courtyard, rooms, and farm, thus uniting both properties. In 1394, Johann von Tannberg obtained from Duke Heinrich of Lower Bavaria the elevation of Aurolzmünster to a Hofmark. The Tannbergers remained in possession of the castle, which also included the neighboring Forchtenau Castle, until 1682. Due to the effects of the Thirty Years' War, the Barons of Tannberg had suffered great financial losses, and the upper castle also burned down to a ruin. Therefore, on September 3, 1682, the Tannberg Fideicommiss was abolished by Elector Max Emanuel of Bavaria, and the property was transferred to Ferdinand Franz Albrecht Count von der Wahl.
The ruin and the lower castle building were demolished, and under Count Ferdinand Franz Albrecht von der Wahl, the castle was rebuilt from 1691 to 1711. It was designed by the architect Johann Kaspar Zucalli and completed by Anton Rica. The paintings in the large central hall are by Johann Eustachius Kendlbacher. Count Ferdinand von der Wahl did not live to see the completion of his magnificent building. He died in 1702, and his son Ferdinand Franz Xaver von der Wahl succeeded him as the builder. After the Imperial Counts von der Wahl died out in 1797, the property passed to the Counts Arco-Valley of St. Martin until 1926. When selling the castle, they moved all the furnishings to their ancestral castle in Sankt Martin; some columns and balconies built into the castle were also taken. In 1925, it was bought by the retired postmaster Carl Schappeller, who had caused worldwide sensation with his excavations for the tomb of Attila and the treasure of the Huns. Due to the constant change of ownership, the castle gradually fell into disrepair.
Description+
Aurolzmünster Castle is a moated castle, still surrounded by moats on all sides today. Central to it is the two-story main building, which houses a banqueting hall extending up to the attic. This is set on the central risalit and features a ceiling painting and garden landscapes on the side walls. This main building is connected by low wings enclosing the courtyard to two equally two-story pavilions. Previously, the south side of the courtyard was enclosed by an iron gate, which is no longer present today.
The castle was formerly surrounded by a magnificent park, which had been built on the site of the upper castle. This Baroque garden was a masterpiece of garden architecture with many water features, fountains, water cascades, an amphitheater, and a shooting range. The garden complex had to make way for a hop field as early as the 19th century; other traffic constructions (railway line), leisure facilities (football field, outdoor pool, tennis court), and other buildings (elementary school, butcher shop) led to the dissolution of the park and the demolition of the brewery and the Maierhof connected to the castle.
In 1962, Aurolzmünster Castle was auctioned off and sold to a Bavarian investor group. Under the direction of Georg Spiegelfeld and with the support of the State of Upper Austria, the Republic of Austria, and the Messerschmitt Foundation Munich, renovation work began, which secured the external structure (dormer windows) and restored the interior (stucco ceilings, frescoes). The brick wall enclosing the ensemble towards the castle moat is still awaiting appropriate repair work. The castle has regained its old splendor since 1997. However, it seems that a final revitalization is still pending, for which a Business Center Schloss Aurolzmünster is currently committed. So far, the Aurolzmünster municipal office has moved into a side wing, a rehearsal room for the music school has been realized, a doctor's office has been set up, and other companies are also located in the castle.
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Source: Wikipedia · Licence: CC BY-SA 4.0 · Image: http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Schloss_Aurolzm%C3%BCnster_-_Nordseite_2.jpg?uselang=de
This description draws on the facts documented in the linked Wikipedia article; Wikipedia content is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Wording and editing: Mobile History.
Location: 48.2494, 13.4556