Castles and palaces in Lower Austria

Castles & Palaces of Austria

This collection highlights 20 castles, ruined fortifications and palatial residences across Lower Austria, from Danube‑edge hillforts in the Wachau to Renaissance and historicist manor houses in the Waldviertel and Bucklige Welt. Entries include medieval ruins with surviving bergfrieds and curtain walls, Renaissance courtyards and later 19th‑century imperial and private villas.

Roitner / CC BY-SA 4.0

Aggstein Castle

Aggstein Castle is a ruined castle on the right bank of the Danube in Wachau, Austria. The castle dates to the 12th century.

will nicht genannt werden / Public domain

Artstetten Castle

Artstetten Castle is a historic Schloss near the Wachau valley in Lower Austria, in the municipality of Artstetten-Pöbring.

Georg Matthäus Vischer / Public domain

Schallaburg Castle

Schallaburg Castle is a castle in the village of Schallaburg in the municipality of Schollach, near the Wachau valley, Lower Austria,…

Adolph Kunike / Public domain

Ruine Hinterhaus

Nearly thousand‑year‑old hilltop fortification (also called Oberhaus) in Spitz an der Donau, with medieval masonry remains overlooking the Danube.

WOKRIE / CC BY-SA 4.0

Burg Oberranna

Hill castle on the Wachau–Waldviertel border near Oberranna; parts of the complex have been adapted for hotel use.

BSonne / CC BY-SA 3.0

Schloss Ottenschlag

Manorial palace sited on the slightly raised north side of the market square in Ottenschlag, Zwettl district.

Bwag / CC-by-sa 3.0

Ruine Schwarzenbach

Ruined medieval castle located in the market municipality of Schwarzenbach in the Wiener Neustadt area, surviving as masonry fragments.

Herzi Pinki / CC BY 2.5

Burgruine Kirchschlag

Medieval hilltop ruin in the town of Kirchschlag in der Buckligen Welt with remnants of defensive walls.

Steindy / CC BY-SA 3.0

Ruine Stickelberg

Ruined hill castle on a ridge at Stickelberg in the Hollenthon municipality; remains situated on private land.

C.Stadler/Bwag / CC BY-SA 4.0

Ruine Ziegersberg

Former defensive structure in the Zöbern municipality, preserved as earthworks and stone ruins.

Steindy / CC BY-SA 2.0 de

Schloss Frohsdorf

Schloss Frohsdorf is a castle-like complex in Lanzenkirchen in Niederösterreich and was built 1547–50 out of the ruins of the so-called …

Steindy / CC BY-SA 3.0

Schloss Katzelsdorf

Historic manor house located in the municipality of Katzelsdorf.

Mussklprozz / CC-BY-SA-3.0

Schloss Schönbühel

Schloss Schönbühel is a castle in the Lower Austrian town of Schönbühel-Aggsbach, below Melk on the right bank of the Danube.

Karl Gruber / CC BY-SA 4.0

Schloss Weitra

Renaissance castle in the Waldviertel, largely rebuilt in the late 16th century and retaining towers and inner courtyards.

Karl Gruber / CC BY-SA 4.0

Schloss Gmünd

Town castle occupying the southwest corner of Gmünd's historic old town, visible from the surrounding streets and squares.

Duke of W4 / CC BY-SA 4.0

Schloss Schrems

Palatial building on Dr.-Theodor-Körner-Platz in Schrems; part of the complex is used as a school.

Christian Jansky / CC BY-SA 3.0

Ruine Wolfstein

Hilltop ruin above the locality of Wolfstein on the territory of Schönbühel‑Aggsbach near the Danube.

Ruine Zelking

Ruined hillside castle in Zelking‑Matzleinsdorf, formerly the ancestral seat of a local noble family.

Unknown / Public domain

Villa Wartholz

The Villa Wartholz or Castle Wartholz is a former imperial villa in Reichenau an der Rax in Lower Austria.

A. Wintschalek / CC BY 2.0

Schloss Rothschild

Late 19th‑century historicist villa (Schloss Hinterleiten) in Hinterleiten, Reichenau an der Rax, associated with the Rothschild family and built from 1884.