Walkenstein Castle

The history of Walkenstein dates back to 1074, when it was owned by the Babenbergs. Towards the end of the 13th century, the Kuenringer family took possession, and between 1265 and 1324, a noble family, presumably holding the fief from the Kuenringers, named themselves after Walkenstein. In 1488, the Bohemian mercenary leader Jaroslav conquered the castle and handed it over to King Matthias Corvinus. In 1645, the Swedes appeared as conquerors. The castle received its current form between 1660 and 1671 under Johann Ehrenreich Freiherr von Sonnau und Reichersberg. After several changes of ownership, it became the property of Geras Abbey in 1760, which initially used it as a manor farm. Abbot Adrian Lambert Zach established a cold-water sanatorium there in 1890, which, however, only began operations in 1893 after initial approval issues. The sanatorium, which initially offered 30 rooms and was later expanded to 40, had to close temporarily in 1914 and served as a convalescent home for the military. It was finally closed in 1939. During the occupation period after World War II, the castle suffered damage from Soviet troops but was later restored.