Schloss Greillenstein

Greillenstein Castle in Röhrenbach, Lower Austria, was first mentioned as a fortified castle in 1313. Its history is considered to be closely intertwined with the noble Kuefstein family, who still own the castle today. In the 1960s, it was one of the first castles in the country to be opened to the public as a museum. Today, the magnificent building presents itself to its many visitors in a historically evolved dress of clear Renaissance and Baroque symbolism. The richly furnished interiors, from the bathing room to the castle dungeons, are best viewed on an exciting guided tour.

Original castle stories: Guided tour of Greillenstein Castle

To get a particularly good understanding of the castle rooms - some of which are originally furnished - from the Renaissance and Baroque periods, it is a good idea to take part in one of the daily guided tours. More than half of the 60 or so rooms are open to visitors. Fascinating coffered and painted wooden ceilings, stately tiled stoves and magnificent stucco work are on display. The Renaissance chapel with its Protestant furnishings and the private salons as well as the knights' hall, offices and courtroom are real eye-catchers. In the latter you can see the only surviving regional court barrier in Austria.

The guided tour of Greillenstein Castle at a glance:

• Registry and courtroom,
• chapel,
• old and new library,
• Knights' Hall and Turks' Hall,
• ancestral hall, salons and smoking room.

Before and after the tour, you can explore other rooms independently, such as the bathing room, playroom and dwarf cabinet.

Exhibitions & special guided tours by candlelight

The permanent and special exhibitions at Greillenstein Castle focus on the history of politics and the life of the former nobility. Brave visitors can take part in a candlelight tour to discover the "dark side" of the castle - from the attic and secret passages to the labyrinth-like cellar vaults.

Baroque dwarves in the fairytale castle garden of Greillenstein

In the 18th century, the spacious gardens were revitalized with Baroque touches. The avenues and balustrades of that time have been preserved to this day. The "Dwarf Garden" is also hidden here, where baroque dwarves lived for a long time - before they were moved to the weather-protected castle. Today, artists have reinterpreted fairy tales and legends about dwarves in this area of the garden.