Castles & Palaces in Austria
Immerse yourself in history
From east to west, Austria is brimming with centuries-old, impressive castles and palaces. They proudly sit atop hills, offering panoramic views for miles, or are nestled in picturesque landscapes, surrounded by meadows, fields, and dense forests. Stepping into these imperial buildings, along with their gardens and parks, gives you a vivid sense of what life was like for knights, ladies, lords, and monarchs.
The people of Austria are deeply aware of their cultural heritage, nurturing it with great care, connection, and attention, keeping it very much alive.
Many of the castles and palaces have been carefully restored and opened to the public. Visitors appreciate guided tours, where they can hear fascinating anecdotes from the extravagant daily lives of the Habsburgs, counts, princes, and other nobility.
Today, these historic buildings are often showcased in a modern light and used as venues for concerts, medieval festivals, or summer performances.
Schönbrunn Palace in Vienna and Eggenberg Palace in Graz have received a very special honour: both have been designated UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
Keep your eyes peeled, as in Austria, art and culture can unexpectedly emerge around every corner!
Celebrate, stroll, and stay in castles and palaces
Follow in the footsteps of the princely Esterházy family at Esterházy Palace, the Renaissance complex Lackenbach Palace and Forchtenstein Castle.
In addition, these popular castles and palaces in the Burgenland are perfect for day-trips:
Güssing Castle: The oldest castle in the province was built on an extinct volcano.
Lockenhaus Castle: The former home of the Knights Templar.
Schlaining Castle: Includes the Peace Museum.
Bernstein Castle: This storied castle is now a family-run hotel and boasts original furnishings.
Halbturn Castle: This baroque complex features a beautiful park and was a former imperial summer residence.
Many of the most beautiful castles in Carinthia are popular venues for concerts, weddings or summer parties:
Porcia Castle: This stunning Renaissance building is a venue for events and exhibitions.
Finkenstein Castle Ruins: The ruins above Lake Faak are home to a 1,000-person arena for events and feature spectacular views.
Pöckstein Castle: Summer festivals and open-air events are held at the French garden.
Maria Loretto Castle: It is located on a peninsula of Lake Wörthersee and is popular for parties and weddings.
Hochosterwitz Castle: This particularly impressive fortress is perched on a 150 meter high limestone rock, which stands alone in the landscape and attracts everyone's attention.
Landskron Castle: It's famous for its eagle show as well as its gourmet restaurant.
Schloss Hof: Tour the magnificent chambers of the palace. The reconstructed Baroque garden with its maze is very popular.
Laxenburg Castle: It consists of two buildings, the Old Castle from the Middle Ages and the Blue Court from the Baroque period.
Grafenegg Castle: It can only be visited in the summer months. Tip: Plan a concert visit to the Wolkenturm!
Rosenburg Castle: Is perched high above the Kamptal on a massive rock. And above, the birds of prey from the local falconry circle the skies.
Rosenau Castle: Is a Baroque building which houses the world's only Masonic Museum.
Schallaburg Castle: At the 1,000-year-old Schallaburg, exciting exhibitions take place every year. Equally impressive are the 1,600 terracotta figures in the arcade courtyard.
Aggstein castle ruins: These are the perfect venue for all kinds of events, from medieval festivals to arts and crafts markets.
Ort Castle: On a tiny island in Lake Traun sits a castle made famous by Austrian television as ‘Schlosshotel Orth’. It is one of the oldest buildings in the Salzkammergut region. According to legend, the giant Erla built it out of love for the lake nymph Blondchen.
Greinburg Castle is the oldest inhabited castle in Austria.
Linz Castle Museum: After many changes, Linz Castle now houses a museum.
Clam Castle: During the summer months you can stay overnight in bower apartments and suites with 18th century furniture.
Eggenberg Castle is the largest and most important Baroque castle complex in Styria and houses parts of the Universalmuseum Joanneum.
Seggau Castle: Located in the South Styrian wine region, the castle boasts a wine cellar that is over 300 years old.
Herberstein Castle: If you love gardens, animals and art, you should pay a visit to the Garden Castle Herberstein and its lovely zoo.
Piber Castle is famous for its Lipizzaner stud farm. All the Lipizzaner stallions that perform at the world-famous Spanish Riding School in Vienna are bred here.
Pöllau Castle: the floor plan of St. Peter's Basilica in Rome was the model for Pöllau Castle. This is why it was nicknamed "St. Peter's Cathedral".
Deutschlandsberg Castle now houses a renowned archaeological museum, a hotel and an award winning restaurant.
Riegersburg Castle: To reach Riegersburg Castle, perched high up on a hill, you can either ride the glass funicular, hike up through seven castle gates or even climb the via ferrata.
Mirabell Palace has always been a symbol of love: Prince-Archbishop Wolf Dietrich had Mirabell Palace built for his beloved Salome Alt. The Baroque pleasure garden later served as a backdrop in the musical film The Sound of Music. Today, the Marble Hall is considered one of the most beautiful wedding venues in the world.
Hellbrunn Palace with its trick fountains is a refreshing destination in summer.
Hohenwerfen Castle has a four-ton bell which is rung during guided tours.
Hohensalzburg Fortress: Towering over the Old Town of Salzburg, the fortress is remarkable for many reasons. It also houses the oldest Barrel organ in the world, which can be heard three times a day.
Hofburg Innsbruck: The newly renovated state rooms of Innsbruck's Imperial Palace look just like they did in the 18th century.
Ambras Castle: In addition to the Habsburg Portrait Gallery with over 200 portraits, this unique castle also houses one of the most extensive glass collections in the world as well as Archduke Ferdinand II's Chamber of Art and Curiosities, which was already considered particularly worth seeing in the 16th century.
Tratzberg Castle: A Renaissance gem meets digital innovation, as in addition to guided tours, visitors can embark on time travels with virtual reality headsets.
Kufstein Fortress: The fortress's Bürgerturm tower is home to the world's largest outdoor organ: the Heldenorgel.
Schattenburg Castle in Feldkirch is home to one of the most important historical weapons collections in Austria. During the summer months, concerts fill the venerable Knights' Hall with music.
Hohenems Palace: The manuscript of the Nibelungenlied was discovered here in the palace library in 1755. The rectangular palace with its impressive inner courtyard and Knights' Hall is considered one of the most beautiful Renaissance buildings in the Lake Constance region.
Glopper Castle: Known as Neu-Ems Castle, is a medieval hilltop castle complex. It was converted into a spectacular 5-star hotel in 2018.
Schönbrunn Palace was the summer residence of the Habsburg Imperial family. Today, visitors can tour the private apartments of Empress Sisi and Emperor Franz Joseph. The palace grounds also feature the world’s oldest zoo.
Belvedere Palace is the former residence of Prince Eugene and now houses works by Klimt, Schiele and Kokoschka in a magnificent baroque setting.
Hofburg Palace was the former imperial residence and the imperial center of Vienna. Today it houses several museums as well as the National Library.
Hermes Villa: Empress Elisabeth's place of refuge. Her husband, Emperor Franz Joseph, had the hunting lodge built in today's Lainzer Tiergarten to keep Sisi in Vienna for longer.
Ringstrasse Palaces: When the Ringstrasse Boulevard was built in the 19th century to replace the old city wall, many aristocrats and the wealthy built magnificent palaces to live in or rent out. Today they are home to coffee houses, the parliament and well-known hotels.
The UNESCO Commission is dedicated to protecting and promoting the diversity of cultural expressions. In Austria, 12 World Heritage Sites have been recognised by UNESCO - and each one is worth a visit in its own right:
the magnificent Schönbrunn Palace,
the historic centres of Vienna, Salzburg, Baden and Graz with Eggenberg Palace,
the charming landscapes of the Wachau, Lake Neusiedl, the Danube Limes and the Hallstatt-Dachstein region,
the Semmering Railway,
the prehistoric pile dwellings and
the beech forests in the Limestone Alps.
In addition, UNESCO also recognises intangible cultural heritage. These are special rituals and festivals, oral traditions or the knowledge of natural and craft skills that are worthy of protection
Interesting facts about castles and palaces in Austria
Social sustainability
Monument preservation is all about the long-term protection and use of historic buildings. By maintaining and restoring castles and palaces, we save resources like building materials and avoid sealing off land with new construction.
In this way, preserving valuable historical structures contributes not only to climate protection but also to the survival of traditional craftsmanship. After all, restoring ancient buildings requires the use of time-honoured materials and skills.
By ensuring accessibility and inclusion in art and cultural experiences, we also promote social sustainability and foster a more thoughtful coexistence.