Wolfpassing Castle

It is presumed that Wolfpassing, similar to the neighboring Zeiselmauer, is a Carolingian foundation from the 9th century. The place is first mentioned in a document in 1108 as Wolfpeizingen. The core of the settlement was probably a hunting lodge of the Diocese of Passau, which is also indicated by the name (peize = hunt). Whether this already stood at the site of the present castle is uncertain. In the first quarter of the 12th century, Wolfpassing temporarily belonged to Göttweig Abbey, but soon returned to Passau ownership. Ministeriales of the diocese lived here, who named themselves after Wolfpassing. Among them, the brothers Arnold and Huno (1140) as well as Otto and Heinrich (around 1160) are known by name as feudal tenants. Under Rieder von Paar, extensive structural changes were made between 1580 and 1585, transforming the hitherto rather simple medieval farmstead into a Renaissance castle. The Passau rule lasted until the secularization of 1803. Then Wolfpassing passed into private hands. Further structural changes occurred in the 19th century. Shortly before the turn of the 20th century, the Bruckner family sold the estate, now definitively converted into a castle, to the municipality of Wolfpassing. However, the municipality soon sold it back to private owners. Among the frequently changing owners were the Hager and Köchert families. The superbly restored building has now belonged to the Decker family for a long time. The adjoining extensive garden is also excellently maintained.

Grotesque head at the courtyard gate. The elongated castle is located at the hillside end of Massingergasse in the municipality of Wolfpassing. Only the three-axis east front, which bears a half-hipped gable, borders the street. Its facade is decorated with profiled window frames and painted corner quoins. The ground floor windows are protected by beautifully decorated wrought-iron grilles. A rusticated round-arch portal with a grotesque head in the keystone and a wrought-iron gate grille leads from the street into the courtyard running along the north side of the castle. The portal was originally located in Hintersdorf Castle near St. Andrä-Wördern and was acquired by one of the last owners of Wolfpassing Castle. The north front of the building serves as the show facade. Two-story, eleven-axis arcades were added to it in 1580/85. As is often customary, the round arches on the ground floor rest on rather sturdy columns, but on the upper floor on much more elegant Tuscan columns. The single-story south facade is only structured by the stone-framed windows with straight pediments. A richly decorated portal frame used here is likely a spolia from the 18th century. The narrow west front is formed by two round towers that do not protrude above the building. The northwest tower is equipped with loopholes on the ground floor. The rooms on the ground floor are barrel-vaulted. The former chapel at the western end of the castle shows Gothic rib beginnings. In the living rooms on the upper floor, there are inlaid baroque double doors as well as Renaissance and baroque stucco ceilings. The wrought-iron staircase railing is late Gothic and dates from the 16th century. The tiled stove decorated with hunting scenes is also a work from the beginning of the 16th century. As inside the castle, numerous spolia and secondarily placed sculptures are also found in the park. Some of the park decorations were acquired from the demolished Viennese Palais Rothschild and Rainer. Next to the castle is the Hirschenhaus, recognizable by its house sign, a single-story hunting lodge from the 16th century, which probably already belonged to the castle at that time.