Schloss Weinberg is an Upper Austrian castle complex and is located on the vineyard above the village of Kefermarkt in the Mühlviertel. The first castle in this location was built in the 11th century. The conversion into a Renaissance castle was made by Hans Wilhelm von Zelking in 1600. The Thürheimer bought the property in 1629. After becoming almost uninhabitable in the early 1980s, Upper Austria rented the castle in 1986 for 99 years, the renewed and organized in 1988 a national exhibition on the premises. Since 1989 the castle has been used as a regional music and education center.
Schloss Weinberg History
After a first documentary mention of a festival around 1274, the current four-wing complex dates back to a Gothic castle with foundations from the 12th century. Strategically placed in an ideal position on a rocky massif, you overlook much of the present district of Freistadt and the Aisttals, whose importance as a major trade route in the Middle Ages has been largely forgotten.
The core of the Romanesque and Gothic building of the former castle was two-storey and almost rectangular. In the center was a courtyard - today "Grüner Hof" - and the medieval keep. Over the centuries, the fortification system has been continuously expanded to provide villagers and residents with adequate protection against enemy attacks and new weapon systems.
Around 1600, the medieval castle was rebuilt into a Renaissance castle. Hans Wilhelm von Zelking (1561-1627) made the transition from the strong fortified castle to a representative seat of power. The reception rooms, as well as the Renaissance garden and the mighty tower, date back to this period.
After the First World War, a tourist part was established in a part of the castle. In 1945, the Schloss Weinberg was an accommodation for the Russian occupation. In 1946, the Thürheim family returned to the castle and managed to rebuild the agricultural and forestry operations.
In order to preserve the castle, the Schloss Weinberg association was founded, which actively campaigned for the renovation of the castle.
In 1986, the province of Upper Austria rented the castle for 99 years and carried out a complex, historically accurate restoration of the interior and grounds. Since the provincial exhibition of Upper Austria in 1988, Schloss Weinberg has established itself as a regional training center.