Franzensburg Castle

The Franzensburg is a castle in Laxenburg in the district of Mödling in Lower Austria, built between 1801 and 1836 in the style of an old castle. The name comes from the then Emperor Franz II, or I, who had it built in the middle of the palace park as a museum next to the existing castles of Laxenburg on an artificial island in the park pond.

The castle was planned by Johann Ferdinand Hetzendorf von Hohenberg in two parts (Knight's Castle and Squire's Castle) and was intended as a museum from the outset. With its recourse to medieval building forms, the Franzensburg is considered a milestone on the way to Historicism. Components of the parish church in Heiligenkreuz, which was demolished during the Josefinism, were used for this purpose. Also, salvaged pieces of older buildings are integrated into the castle, especially the reconstruction of the Klosterneuburg Capella Speciosa, the first Gothic-influenced building in the Danube region.

The construction of the castle coincided with the time when brick production began south of Vienna. Since the price of a single brick seemed too high, Emperor Franz unceremoniously bought the brickworks in Vösendorf and additionally Vösendorf Castle.

In 1806, a ferry was established, leading across the pond from the mainland to the island with the Franzensburg. In winter, it is replaced by a wooden bridge. On the opposite side, the island is accessible all year round via a stone bridge.

The castle and the surrounding palace pond are embedded in a palace park of about 250 ha, which was designed in the late 18th century in the style of English landscape gardens. It contains forests, meadows, several canals, a jousting arena, the Concordiatempel, and other structures such as the "Rittersäule" (Knight's Column), a marble bust of the emperor, and the Lusthaus.

Today, the park is a popular excursion destination. Guided tours are offered in the castle, and theater plays are staged in summer. In summer, rowing and electric boats can be rented on the pond.