Perchtoldsdorf Castle

The origins of the castle date back to before the year 1000, when it was built to protect the Babenbergs from Hungarian incursions. Initially, it consisted of a stone tower and wooden structures, surrounded by a palisade and a moat. In 1138, Heinricus de Pertoldesdorf is mentioned as the first lord of the castle. Under his successors, the wooden buildings were replaced by stone, and an outer bailey with a wall was erected. The South Tower, still standing today, was added as a keep. The castle chapel was elevated to a parish church in 1217. After being destroyed by Frederick the Quarrelsome during a noble uprising, the castle was rebuilt. Otto II of Perchtoldsdorf had the ancestral castle reconstructed around 1270. Following another destruction by Duke Albrecht I around 1290 and the extinction of the Perchtoldsdorf family, the castle reverted to Melk Abbey and was rebuilt in Gothic style. It served as a widow's residence for Austrian duchesses.