To be privately owned
CastleKumberg
Kainberg Castle
Kainberg Castle is located in the municipality of Kumberg in Styria. The history of the estate dates back to the beginning of the 13th century, and that of the current castle to the end of the 16th century. It has been owned by the Wimpffen family since 1841.
The castle is somewhat secluded, north of the center of Kumberg at Schloß-Kainberg-Weg 6. It stands on a steep hill, which forms the spur of a ridge running southeast from the Schöckl mountain.
A first fortified building was probably erected on the site of the current castle at the beginning of the 13th century. This was a free property of a family of ministeriales subject to Seckau Abbey. In 1218, an Otto von Chunperch, who resided in the fortified court, is mentioned. The estate remained in the possession of the Kainberg family for over 300 years and came to Gilg von Saurau in 1547. After Melchior Huber owned the noble court for two months in 1570, the court came to Otto VI von Ratmannsdorf. He had it expanded and rebuilt into a Renaissance castle between 1570 and 1575. His daughter had to leave Styria in 1629 due to her Protestant faith. Thus, the castle came to Siegmund Friedrich Freiherr von Gleispach. His son sold it to Seckau Abbey in 1662, but took it back a year later due to the unpaid purchase price.
In 1685, the residence came into the possession of Georg Siegmund Graf Dietrichstein. He was followed by other owners before it came to Eduard Graf Wimpffen in 1841. His family still inhabits the castle today.
Architecture+
The three-story building forms a regular quadrangle which encloses a rectangular, three-story arcaded courtyard. The arcades surround the courtyard on three sides and were largely glazed in the 19th century. At the four corners of the building are square corner towers with pyramid roofs. In the central part of the western wing is a mighty clock and bell tower with a roof crowned by a lantern. In this tower is a small chapel dedicated to the Three Kings. To the south is the round-arched entrance gate.
The castle was probably formerly protected by a defensive wall, which no longer exists today, and a moat system. The square tower attached to the southwest corner of the building also no longer exists. A bastion located in the southeast was converted into a garden.
The northern wing dates from the 15th century and represents the oldest part of the building. Large parts of the original interior decoration are still preserved on the upper floors. Some rooms feature Neo-Baroque stucco ceilings. In a corner room, there is a coffered ceiling with painted graining from the Renaissance and an 18th-century stove. The large hall of the castle is decorated with foliage and strapwork stucco from the second quarter of the 18th century. Furthermore, an Empire stove, installed around 1800, is located in the hall.
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Source: Wikipedia · Licence: CC BY-SA 4.0 · Image: LitterART / CC0 via Wikimedia Commons
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: 47.1739, 15.5306