Donnersbach Castle

Donnersbach Castle is a castle in the municipality of Donnersbach, which also houses the parish church. The entire castle building is a protected monument.

In 1560, Donnersbach Castle was built in place of a former fortified structure and served as a hunting lodge for the noble Habsburg family and their successors. In 1589, the noble residence underwent a redesign.

As the Aegidius Church increasingly fell into disrepair, the then castle owner Karl Graf von Stainach made the eastern wing of the castle complex available for a new church in 1786, where the church was then built. From then on, the church was called Zum heiligen Ägyd in Donnersbachau recte zum hl. Kreuz am Riezenberg. Since the establishment of a primary school was approved in 1786 and Donnersbach became a vicariate, the castle now housed the church, the rectory, the vicariate apartment, the schoolroom, and the schoolmaster's apartment. The castle chapel, where only members of the nobility were allowed to celebrate masses, was closed down. In 1807, the castle building was re-roofed with wooden shingles. In 1840, bells were acquired for the church. In 1861, Donnersbach was elevated to an independent parish. In 1862, the altar steps were renovated. The choir staircase from 1867 was renewed in 1926. In 1925, Donnersbach Castle was supplied with electricity. During National Socialism in World War II, the bells were confiscated. In 1950, three new bells were consecrated. In the following decades, several renovation works were carried out.

The greatest treasure of the parish is probably the richly gold-embroidered chasuble with the year 1672. The high altar shows the painting of Saint Mary and Saint Aegidius, flanked by the saint sculptures of Catherine, Wolfgang, Nicholas, and Barbara. The side altar painting depicts Saint Leonard. On the sides stand the figures of the two Saints Andrew and Thomas. In the center is a sculpture of Mary Magdalene.

On the inside of the northern outer wall of Donnersbach Castle is the war memorial of the municipality of Donnersbach. The memorial is set into the wall and features a large wooden cross. Memorial plaques commemorate the fallen soldiers of both World Wars.