Schallaburg Renaissance Castle
Schallaburg Renaissance Castle
Lower Austria: the country of fortresses and castles. No other region in Austria boasts as many fortresses and magnificent castles of past centuries. The Schallaburg, located about 5 kilometers from Melk, ranks among the finest Renaissance castles north of the Alps. The core of the fortress, which dates back to the Middle Ages, has survived in the form of the Romanesque residential castle and the Gothic chapel. The Schallaburg castle received today’s characteristic appearance in 1572, when the prosperous Lose Steiner dynasty established a manor for themselves that was modeled on the Italian palazzo of the time and whose impressive silhouette can still be seen from far away to this day. The Schallaburg’s generous, picturesque castle courtyard for tournaments with its cantilever stairs testifies to the Losensteiner family’s prosperity and love of art, as do the unique decorative sculptures of the two-storey arcade court. The terracotta mosaic, comprising 1.600 single pieces, depicts a vivid scene of mythological figures, gods, masks and fabulous creatures, all crafted in lavish detail. One of the figures represented is the “Hundefräulein” (a female human figure with a dog’s head), a character based on a Schallaburg-related legend. The Schallaburg’s multifarious beauty and its location in the picturesque Mostviertel region make this castle a major attraction for anyone with an interest in culture and art.
Exhibitions
The Schallaburg Castle is widely known for its annually changing, cultural-historical and archaeological exhibitions. The ancient Mongolian and Egyptian people left their mark on the Schallaburg, as did one of the most important matters in Austrian history, the 1955 State Treaty, and Austria’s post-war history. The Schallaburg’s 1000m^2 exhibition area offers plenty of space for high-quality international exhibitions. Our own education program prepares descriptive and fascinating exhibitions that also capture the attention and passion of children.
Historic Gardens
No other flower has played as important a part in cultural history as the rose: the rose stands for femininity, love, and beauty. The Schallaburg’s charming, Mannerist gardens boast historic roses, ornamental trees and bushes, herbs, and tow typical Renaissance apple orchards.
Adventure Playground
What looks unusual at first glance not only turns out to fit in a moat just perfectly, but also makes for a great playground: the Schallaburg’s huge smoke-spewing dragon outside the castle gates, 30 meters long and 6 meters high, allows children to slide from his mouth, climb up and down inside its body, and hides many secrets waiting to be discovered.