Rastbach Castle

Rastbach Castle is located in the linear village of Rastbach in the municipality of Gföhl in Lower Austria.

The castle was first mentioned in a document in 1159, belonged to Hartwich von Lichteneck in 1192, and to Maximilian von Pollheim in 1594. The two-story, three-wing complex from the late 16th and early 17th centuries has a courtyard open to the south. The castle is structurally connected to the parish church of Rastbach – initially in a castle-like manner – and has a neck ditch to the northeast, near the castle path.

On the north side, the castle has a round-arched entrance gate with bumper stones and a rectangular pedestrian portal with ashlar framing. On the courtyard side is a round-arched portal with a volute keystone and remnants of diamond ashlar scratching from around 1600. The north and east wings are fitted with stone-framed windows and a cornice on consoles on the exterior and courtyard side, and show transversely oval dormer windows in the attic floor. The east wing has a higher eaves line and rectangular stone-framed windows in the attic floor. The west wing has a hipped roof on the south side and balconies on massive round pillars from the 19th century. There is a stone fountain basin with a relief coat of arms from 1610.

In the west wing, there is a two-aisled, four-bay, cross-rib vaulted column hall from around 1600 with a cross-rib vaulted corridor on the upper floor. In the east wing, there is a wide barrel vault with lunettes on wall pillars, with masonry in opus spicatum in the former connecting area. In the same place, a walled-up round arch, presumably from the former ossuary.

To the northeast, at the foot of the castle hill, stand three farm buildings as single-story tracts from the 18th and 19th centuries. In the east tract, there is a three-aisled, three-bay pillar hall with square vaults.