Top 13 Castles around Ernsthofen

through the gate uphill, it goes directly to the city park. A narrow alley leads to the city square. The gate itself is also worth a look, as is the whole area around it.

At the foot of Lamberg Castle, a Gothic archway guards the path to the castle. A fresco depicting two emperors and a medieval cityscape adorns the structure, which is known as the Lower Castle Gate in Steyr.

Steyr's Old Town is one of Austria's most atmospheric historic city centers. Situated at the confluence of the Enns and Steyr rivers, it combines a medieval urban structure with well-preserved Gothic, Renaissance, and Baroque buildings. Around the town square with its magnificent burgher houses—including the famous Bummerlhaus—narrow lanes, courtyards, and squares unfold, reflecting the former prosperity of this iron-producing city. High above, Lamberg Castle sits atop the walls of the ancient Styraburg, the city's origin. A visit to the Old Town leads past characteristic facades, across bridges to the riverbanks, and to viewpoints offering particularly evocative vistas of the historic ensemble. Overall, Steyr's Old Town presents a harmonious blend of history, architecture, and picturesque urban ambiance.

Bernhard von Losenstein had the current castle built in 1515 and gave it the name "Losensteinleiten". When a Turkish army under Kassim Pasha made the area unsafe in 1532, the castle suffered greatly. It is said that a hunter defended himself with many guns and shot a Turkish leader. This heroic act frightened the Turks and they fled. Between 1550 and 1570, the castle was enlarged by Georg Achaz von Losenstein. His wife was called Christina von Bergheim. The family died out with Franz Anton von Losenstein in 1692. The property passed to the Princes of Auersperg and their successors until 1950. From 1955 to 1993, Losensteinleiten Castle was owned by the Camillian Order, which ran a private high school with public rights until 1976. From 1978 to 1983, the Upper Austrian state government housed an agricultural college for girls. From 1985 to 1993, the Camillians ran the St. Kamillus retreat and education center in Losensteinleiten Castle, with a focus on the training and further education of people working in the service of the sick, especially in the denominational hospitals in Austria.

Through a Gothic archway, a remnant of the medieval castle fortifications, Berggasse leads to Lamberg Castle. The castle gate features a sculptural representation of the Lamberg coat of arms and a fresco depicting two full-length knights against the backdrop of medieval Steyr. Emperor Frederick III and his son Maximilian I are portrayed here. Based on the founding legend of Steyr Castle, the two are also interpreted as the knights who determined the castle's location through a duel. Two brothers, both knights, were riding through the area. When they reached the Tabor (the site where the Tabor Tower now stands), one decided to build the castle there on the hilltop, as this was the most beautiful spot. His brother, however, insisted on the rocky promontory at the confluence of the Enns and Steyr rivers as a safer building site. When they could not reach an agreement, they decided to fight, and the castle was built on the promontory according to the victor's wishes.

Spilberg Castle Ruins is a historic castle near Langenstein in the Perg district in the Mühlviertel in Upper Austria. The castle is now located in a floodplain landscape, the Schlossau, about 600 meters from the banks of the Danube. The castle was built in the 12th century and was once an important moated castle on an island on the Danube. The castle has a 35 meter high Romanesque crenellated tower and is surrounded by a 16 meter high rampart wall. The Spilberg castle ruins are an interesting excursion destination for history and nature lovers. The “Friends of the Spilberg Castle Ruins” association takes care of the preservation and communication of the castle. You can visit the castle, take guided tours or take part in cultural events such as concerts or theater performances.

Steyr is a beautiful town in Upper Austria, situated at the confluence of the Enns and Steyr rivers. It is the third largest city in the federal state and the twelfth largest city in Austria. Steyr has a rich history dating back to the Iron Age. It was an important trading post and a center of iron processing and industry. Today, Steyr is known for its picturesque old town, Lamberg Castle, churches and museums.

07/26/2023 - Unfortunately no viewing possible, is very nicely located next to the Haag zoo.