Ladendorf Castle

Ladendorf first appeared in 1170 with Hugo von Ladendorf. In 1228, the former castle was owned by Otto von Ladendorf. Wolfgang von Ladendorf is mentioned as the last of his family in 1454.

From 1550 to 1658, the lordship belonged to the Steger family. In 1450, the castle was devastated by the Bohemian mercenary leader Pongracz von Liptau and in 1645 by the Swedes. Afterwards, the core building, dating from the 16th century, was transformed into a quadrangular complex by the Steger family. In 1658, Wilhelm Johann Anton Graf Daun acquired the lordship. Wirich Philipp Lorenz Graf Daun had the old fortified building converted into a magnificent castle after 1722. In 1751, Johann Josef Fürst Khevenhüller-Metsch became lord of Ladendorf.

In 1805 and 1809, the castle was damaged by the advancing French. Karl Fürst Khevenhüller-Metsch was the last regular inhabitant of the castle around the turn of the 20th century. His heirs preferred other family estates. In 1928, Ladendorf came into the possession of the Huck family. In 1940, the building was still in an exemplary condition. After that, it rapidly deteriorated. The owners lived abroad until 1957. In the meantime, the magnificent castle became a ruin. First, German repatriates were housed here, then it served the Russians as a hospital, and finally, refugees were quartered again. The interior furnishings were completely lost in the process.

The dilapidated condition has not changed to this day. Only the roof could be repaired in the 1970s at the expense of the Federal Monuments Office. Today, the castle is owned by DI. Max Eduard Huck, a descendant of the Princes Khevenhüller-Metsch.