Aggstein Castle Ruins

Today we wanted to visit the beautiful ruins of Aggstein Castle in the Wachau Valley.

Perched high above the Danube, it sits atop a rock. The ruin looks as if it came straight out of a fairy tale book.

Steep walls rise into the sky, deep abysses make visitors shudder.

In addition, there are numerous myths and legends surrounding this once proud castle.

The castle was built in the early 12th century by Manegold III of Aggstein. It likely served to protect and defend the Danube Valley at that time.

Later, the castle changed ownership many times and was even the seat of robber knights for a time.

In the 15th century, the castle was destroyed several times and even burned down. It was rebuilt in its current form at the end of the 15th century.

The ruins consist of several courtyards, cisterns, and former living quarters.

The so-called “Rosengärtlein” – a rocky ledge – was supposedly used to push prisoners to their deaths. Whether this legend is true is only known by those who lived back then. And they will remain silent forever.

At the end of the Middle Ages, the castle lost its importance and was left to decay until only the present-day ruins remained.

These were recently lovingly restored and made accessible to visitors once more.

We entered the castle through the main gate. From there, you can either visit the courtyards or walk along a circular path across the battlements. We decided to visit the battlements first.

So we climbed up many steps. The ascent is easy, the stairs are very well built, and the paths are well secured. Even families with small children had no trouble completing the tour.

From the top, we had a spectacular view of the Danube and the Wachau Valley.

We walked along the circular path, where informational signs are placed at regular intervals. We saw former chambers and towers and repeatedly enjoyed the unique panoramic view.

Back down again, we strolled through the inner courtyard, where there is a restaurant. At the end of the courtyard, another staircase leads steeply upward. Here you’ll find more former living quarters.

We also saw a bakery. Particularly impressive was the small, perfectly preserved chapel.

From up here, we were repeatedly treated to breathtaking views down below.

In one of the rooms, a wedding was taking place – it was very romantic to watch.

Back in the courtyard, we stopped at the restaurant and ordered Wiener Schnitzel and an apricot cake.

With it, we had wine from the Wachau.

The prices were high, but in my opinion, the large portions and friendly service justified them.

So we sat in the courtyard for quite a while, enjoying the food and repeatedly casting fascinated glances at the castle.

How were people able to build something this impressive 900 years ago with the means they had back then – and on top of this rock, no less?

After the meal, we continued our way through the lovely Wachau and crossed the Danube by car ferry at Weißenkirchen.

From there, we drove on to the neighboring village of Wösendorf, where my partner had once spent wonderful childhood days at his grandmother’s house.

Much has changed since then, but the grandmother’s house still stands to this day.

To end the day, we wanted to visit the tower near Sankt Michael, which my partner also remembered from his childhood. Unfortunately, it is now closed for safety reasons.

Since it had gotten quite late by now, we made our way home. We would love to visit the Wachau again soon.