Aggstein ruins

Location of the Aggstein ruins

The Aggstein castle ruins are in the Dunkelsteinerwald, which was called "Aggswald" until the 19th century. The Dunkelsteinerwald is an offshoot of the mountainous landscape north of the Danube. The Dunkelsteinerwald thus belongs to the granite and gneiss plateau, the part of the Bohemian Massif in Austria, from which it is separated by the Danube. The Dunkelsteinerwald stretches along the south bank of the Danube in the Wachau from Melk to Mautern. The Aggstein castle ruins are located on a 320 m long rocky outcrop rising 150 m behind the alluvial terrace of Aggstein in the district of Melk. The Aggstein castle ruin is the first castle in the Wachau and one of the most important castles in Austria due to its size and the substance of its walls, which mostly date from the 15th century and in some places even from the 12th or 13th century. Aggstein Castle belongs to Schlossgut Schönbühel-Aggstein AG.

The map section below shows the location of the Aggstein ruins

Historical significance of the Aggstein ruins

The Aggswald, which has been called the Dunkelsteinerwald since the 19th century, was originally an independent fiefdom of the Dukes of Bavaria. Aggstein Castle was built around 1100 by Manegold v. Aggsbach-Werde III have been founded. Around 1144, Manegold IV passed Aggstein Castle to the priory of Berchtesgaden. From 1181 onwards, Freie von Aggswald-Gansbach, who belonged to the Kuenringer clan, are named as owners. The Kuenringers were an Austrian ministerial family, originally unfree servants of the Babenbergs, who were an Austrian margrave and ducal family of Franconian-Bavarian origin. The progenitor of the Kuenringer is Azzo von Gobatsburg, a pious and rich man who came to what is now Lower Austria in the 11th century in the wake of a son of the Babenberg Margrave Leopold I. In the course of the 12th century, the Kuenringers came to rule the Wachau, which included Castle Aggstein as well as Castles Dürnstein and Hinterhaus. Until 1408, Aggstein Castle was owned by the Kuenringers and the Maissauers, another Austrian ministerial family.

Site plan of the Aggstein ruins

The ruins of Aggstein Castle are an elongated, narrow, northeast-southwest-facing twin castle adapted to the terrain, which is located 320 meters above the village of Aggstein an der Donau and is situated on a 150-meter-long rocky outcrop that extends on 3 sides , north-west, south-west and south-east, sloping steeply. Access to the Aggstein castle ruins is from the north-east, from where Aggstein Castle was secured by a moat that was built in the 19th century. was filled.

3D model of the Aggstein ruins

3D model of the Aggstein castle ruins
3D model of the Aggstein castle ruins

The twin castle Aggstein is built on 2 rocky outcrops, the "Stein" in the south-west and the "Bürgl" in the north-east. At the so-called "Bürgl" there are only a few foundations left because the castle was besieged and destroyed twice. The first time in 1230/31 as a result of the uprising of the Kuenringer under Hadmar III. against Duke Frederick II, the pugnacious, who came from the Babenberg family, who was Duke of Austria and Styria from 1230 to 1246, and who died in 1246 in the Battle of the Leitha against the Hungarian King Béla IV. Aggstein Castle was besieged and destroyed a second time as a result of the uprising of the Austrian nobility against Duke Albrecht I in the period 1295-1296. 

The north-west side of the Aggstein castle ruins shows the semicircular, protruding kitchen building with a semi-conical shingle roof adjoining the battlements. Above is the former chapel under a gabled roof with a recessed apse under a conical roof and a gable with a bell rider. On the outside in front of the so-called rose garden, a narrow, on a vertical rock face, about 10 m long, projection.
On the north-west side of the Aggstein castle ruins, adjoining the parapet walk, is the semicircular projecting kitchen building with a semi-conical shingle roof.

On the northwest side of the outer bailey you can see the bay window of the former dungeon made of irregular quarry stone masonry and further west, after the battlement, the semicircular projecting kitchen building with a semi-conical shingle roof. Above this is the recessed apse with the conical roof of the former chapel, which has a gable roof with a bell rider. In front of it is the so-called rose garden, a narrow, about 10 m long ledge on a vertical rock face. The rose garden was created in the 15th century during the reconstruction of the destroyed castle by Jörg Scheck von Wald, who is said to have locked prisoners out on this exposed plateau. The name rose garden was created after the locked-out checks by Wald were reminiscent of roses.

The knight's hall and the women's tower are integrated into the ring wall of the south-eastern longitudinal side of the Aggstein castle ruins from the Bürgl towards Stein.
The knight's hall and the women's tower are integrated into the ring wall of the south-eastern long side of the ruins of Aggstein.

The twin castle has a rock head integrated into the narrow sides, the "Bürgl" in the east and the "Stein" in the west. The knight's hall and the women's tower are integrated into the ring wall of the south-eastern longitudinal side of the Aggstein castle ruins from the Bürgl towards Stein.

The 1st castle gate of the Aggstein ruins is a chamfered pointed arch gate
The 1st castle gate of the Aggstein ruins is a chamfered pointed arch gate in a massive tower in front of the ring wall.

Access to the Aggstein castle ruins is via a ramp that leads over the filled-in moat. The 1st castle gate of the Aggstein ruins is a chamfered pointed arch gate built with local stones with a curb stone on the right, which is located in a massive tower that is about 15 meters high in front of the circular wall. Through the 1st gate you can see the courtyard of the outer bailey and the 2nd gate with the 2nd courtyard and the 3rd gate behind it.

The north-eastern front of the stronghold of the Aggstein ruins to the west on the vertically cut "stone" towering approx. 6 m above the level of the castle courtyard shows a wooden staircase to the high entrance with a pointed arch portal in a rectangular panel made of stone. Above it a turret. On the north-east front you can also see: stone jamb windows and slits and on the left side the truncated gable with an outdoor fireplace on consoles and to the north the former Romanesque-Gothic chapel with a recessed apse and gabled roof with a bell rider.
The north-eastern front of the stronghold of the Aggstein ruins to the west on the vertically cut "stone" towering approx. 6 m above the level of the castle courtyard shows a wooden staircase to the high entrance with a pointed arch portal in a rectangular panel made of stone. Above it a turret. On the north-east front you can also see: stone jamb windows and slits and on the left side the truncated gable with an outdoor fireplace on consoles and to the north the former Romanesque-Gothic chapel with a recessed apse and gabled roof with a bell rider.

In the first half of the 15th century, Jörg Scheck von Wald, a councilor and captain of Duke Albrecht V of Habsburg, was enfeoffed with Aggstein Castle. Jörg Scheck von Wald rebuilt the destroyed castle between 1429 and 1436 using the old foundations again. Today's substance of the Aggstein castle ruins comes mainly from this reconstruction. Above the 3rd gate, the coat of arms gate, the actual entrance to the castle, there is a relief coat of arms by Georg Scheck and the building inscription 1429.

The heraldic gate, the actual entrance to the Aggstein castle ruins
The coat of arms gate, the actual entrance to the Aggstein castle ruins with a relief coat of arms of Georg Scheck, who rebuilt the castle in 1429

From the first castle gate you get to the first courtyard and to the wall gate you get to the second courtyard. The second section of defense begins here, which was probably built in the first half of the 14th century and is slightly older than the first section of defense.

The second gate of the Aggstein ruins, a chamfered pointed arch gate in a wall with a layer of sloping, flat stones (herringbone pattern) above it, is located north of the mighty Bürglfelsen. Through the second gate you can see the third gate with the relief coat of arms of Scheck im Walde above.
The second gate of the Aggstein ruins, a chamfered pointed arch gate in a wall with a layer of sloping, flat stones (herringbone pattern) above it, is located north of the mighty Bürglfelsen. Through the second gate you can see the third gate with the relief coat of arms of Scheck im Walde above.

Immediately after the entrance through the wall gate on the right, north, is the former dungeon, 7 meters deep. The dungeon carved into the rock was created later in the mid-15th century.

Immediately after the wall gate in the second courtyard of the Aggstein ruins is the former 7 meter deep dungeon to the north.
Immediately after the wall gate in the second courtyard to the north is the former 7 meter deep dungeon.

The forecourts are limited to the north by the circular wall and a former battlement, and to the south by the mighty Bürgl rock. From the second courtyard you enter the castle courtyard through the third gate. The 3rd gate, the so-called coat of arms gate, is located in a 5 meter thick shield wall. In the Middle Ages, the castle courtyard served as a farm and residence for the servants who were obliged to do domestic work.

Third gate of the Aggstein ruins, chamfered pointed arch gate and curbstones from the 15th century in a massive 5 m thick shield wall with partial herringbone walls towards the central courtyard.
Third gate of the Aggstein ruins, chamfered pointed arch gate and curbstones from the 15th century in a massive 5 m thick shield wall with partial herringbone walls, seen from the central courtyard.

The late medieval kitchen building is set into the massive ring wall to the north of the elongated castle courtyard. To the west of the kitchen building is the former servants' room, which is referred to as Dürnitz in the inscription on the 3D model. A smoke-free, heatable dining and common room in Central European castles was called Dürnitz.

Remnant of the circular wall of the Aggstein castle ruins on the south side
Remnant of the circular wall of the Aggstein castle ruins on the south side

On the south side along the ring wall are the remains of living spaces without roofs with a large late medieval cellar in the basement.

In the east of the castle courtyard of the Aggstein ruins there is a cistern hewn into the rock.
In the east of the castle courtyard of the Aggstein ruins there is a cistern hewn into the rock.

There is a square cistern carved into the rock to the east of the castle courtyard.

To the east of the former residential wing, which is to the south in the courtyard, is the remainder of a high, semi-circular well house with late Gothic windows.
The remainder of a high, semi-circular well house with late Gothic windows adjoins the castle courtyard to the east.

To the east of the former residential wing is the remainder of a high, semi-circular well house with late Gothic windows and rooms of the former bakery.

The so-called smithy on the ruins of Aggstein Castle to the east of the fountain house with a preserved forge with a vent has barrel vaults and windows with stone walls.
The smithy with preserved forge with trigger on the ruins of Aggstein Castle

To the east of the well house of the Aggstein ruins is a so-called smithy, partly with a barrel vault and stone jamb windows, whereby the forge has been preserved with a deduction.

The ascent to the Bürgl after the bakery in the north-east of the Aggstein ruins
The ascent to the Bürgl after the bakery in the north-east of the Aggstein ruins

Northeast of the central courtyard is the ascent via stairs to the Bürgl, which is flattened to a plateau at the top, where the palace of the second stronghold of the Aggstein ruins was possibly located. The Palas of a medieval castle was a separate, separate, multi-storey representative building, which included both living rooms and a hall.

A chamfered pointed arch gate with herringbone pattern masonry around the arch at the level of the second floor was the main entrance to the stately rooms of the palace of the Aggstein castle ruins. The rooms were equipped with wooden floors. The ground level was about a meter lower than today. Parts of the masonry date back to the 12th century, as can be read on the information board next to the gate.
A chamfered pointed arch gate with herringbone pattern masonry around the arch at the level of the second floor was the main entrance to the stately rooms of the palace of the Aggstein castle ruins. The rooms were equipped with wooden floors. The ground level was about a meter lower than today. Parts of the masonry date back to the 12th century, as can be read on the information board next to the gate.

At the western end, on the vertically cut stone rising about 6 m above the level of the castle courtyard, is the stronghold, which is accessible via a wooden staircase. The stronghold has a narrow courtyard, which is delimited on the side by residential buildings or defensive walls.

To the south in the stronghold is the so-called Frauenturm, a formerly multi-storey building with a basement with a wine press and two residential floors with rectangular and pointed arch windows and a round arch portal. The Frauenturm today has no false ceilings or a roof. Only the holes for the ceiling beams can still be seen.

Aggstein belongs to the municipality of Schönbühel-Aggsbach in the district of Melk. Aggstein is a small row village in the Wachau northeast of Melk on a floodplain of the Danube at the foot of the castle hill.
Aggstein an der Donau, Liniendorf at the foot of the castle hill

In the northwest corner of the stronghold is the former, multi-storey, two-room palas, the eastern part of which adjoins the northern chapel, which is elevated and accessible via a wooden staircase. Outside the Palas to the north, in front of a vertical rock face, is the so-called Rosengärtlein, a narrow 10 m long projection, which was probably expanded into a viewing terrace in the Renaissance period and to which the legends of the atrocities Checks in the forest are linked.

The chapel of the ruins of Aggstein has two bays under a gable roof with a recessed apse and has two pointed arches and one round arched window. The eastern gable of the chapel has a pediment.

The Legend of the Little Rose Garden

After the inglorious end of Kuenringer, Aggstein Castle remained in ruins for almost a century and a half. Thereupon Duke Albrecht V gave it to his trusted councilor and chamberlain Georg Scheck vom Walde as a fief.
So in 1423 the check started to build the 'Purgstal', as can still be read today on a stone tablet above the third gate. In hard drudgery, the poor subjects laid stone upon stone for seven years until the building was complete and now seemed to defy eternity. The check, however, having become high-spirited, transformed itself from a deserving and universally respected statesman into a dangerous robber baron and snapper, into a terror in the forest and in the entire Danube valley.
As in the stronghold today, a low door led to a very narrow slab of rock at a dizzying height. Is a wonderful view into a world of divine beauty. Scheck called his rose garden, adding scorn to the cruelty, the plate and heartlessly pushed the prisoners out, so that they had only the choice of either starving to death or preparing a quick end to their suffering by jumping into the horrible depths.
One prisoner, however, was lucky enough to fall into the dense foliage of a tree and thus save himself, while another was freed by a haughty squire, the son of Mistress von Schwallenbach. But while the men who had escaped death rushed to Vienna to tell the duke of the piebald's evil deeds, the lord of the castle vented his wrath on the poor youth. Scheck threw the boy into the dungeon, and when spies reported that the duke was arming himself against Aggstein, he ordered his henchmen to tie up the prisoner and throw him down over the rocks of the rose garden. The henchmen were already about to obey the order, grinning, when the Ave bell rang softly and solemnly from the west bank and the check granted the Junker, at his earnest requests, enough time to commend his soul to God, until the last tone of the bell rang in the ventilation had faded away.
But through God's gracious providence the little bell kept ringing, the sound trembling over the river's waves did not want to end, admonishing the piebald heart to turn in and out ... in vain; for only dreadful curses because the damned ringing would not fall silent were the sound's echo in the stubborn mind of the monster.
In the meantime, however, the commander Georg von Stein had surrounded the castle at night on the duke's orders, clinking coins and the assurance of complete impunity opened the gates, and so the last misdeed was prevented. The check was caught, declared forfeit of all goods by the Duke, and ended his life in poverty and contempt.

Opening hours of the Aggstein ruins

The ruined castle opens on the first weekend in the second half of March and closes again at the end of October. The opening hours are 09:00 - 18:00. On the first 3 weekends in November there is the very popular Medieval Castle Advent. In 2022, admission cost €6 for children aged 16-6,90 and €7,90 for adults.

Arrival to the Aggstein ruins

The Aggstein ruins can be reached on foot, by car and by bike.

Arrival to the Aggstein ruins on foot

There is a hiking trail from Aggstein at the foot of the castle hill to the ruins of Aggstein. This path also corresponds to a section of the World Heritage Trail Stage 10 from Aggsbach-Dorf to Hofarnsdorf. You can also hike from Maria Langegg to the ruins of Aggstein in one hour. On this route there is only about 100 meters in altitude to overcome, while from Aggstein it is about 300 meters in altitude. The route from Maria Langegg is popular during Castle Advent in November.

Arriving by car from the A1 Melk to the car park in Aggstein

Getting to the Aggstein ruins by car

Arrival to the Aggstein ruins by e-mountain bike

If you ride the e-mountain bike from Aggstein to the ruins of Aggstein, you can then continue to Mitterarnsdorf via Maria Langegg instead of going back down the same way. Below is the route to get there.

The Aggstein castle ruins can also be reached by mountain bike from Mitterarnsdorf via Maria Langegg. A beautiful round tour for cyclists who are on vacation in the Wachau.

The nearest coffee shop is very close by. Simply turn off to the Danube when passing through Oberarnsdorf.

Coffee on the Danube
Café with a view of the Hinterhaus ruins in Oberarnsdorf on the Danube
The Radler-Rast Café is located on the Danube Cycle Path in the Wachau in Oberarnsdorf on the Danube.
Location of the Radler-Rast Café on the Danube Cycle Path in the Wachau
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