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Castle tours are available on certain dates through the Allentsteig municipality https://www.allentsteig.gv.at/. The next dates are August 31st and September 28th, both at 2 p.m. The tours are led by Colonel Julius Schlapschy. If you happen to pass by the castle, the doorman will also give you helpful and interesting information.

The former medieval castle was converted into a Renaissance palace by the noble Hager family between 1544 and 1570. When the German Reich built the Allentsteig military training area in 1938, where up to 60,000 soldiers were stationed at times, it made the castle the headquarters of the command. It retained this function when it was handed over to the Republic of Austria after the Russian occupation from 1945 to 1955. The castle is still the headquarters of the TÜPL command today https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schloss_Allentsteig

History of ownership Allentsteig Castle was founded by the Kuenringers around 1000. Until around 1390 it was owned by the Lords of Kamegg-Kaya. In the 14th century it was owned by the Sonnbergers, in 1332 by Eberhard V of Walsee (* around 1290; † 1371), Captain of the Enns. 1367 Kuenringers; 1380 Lords of Maissau. Otto IV, the last of the Maissau family, leased Allentsteig to his follower Hans Hager in 1409. Granted to the Lords of Puchheim in 1440. In 1486 the mercenary leader Spanowsky occupied Allentsteig in addition to Zwettl from 1458 to 1490 on behalf of King Matthias Corvinus, actually Hunyadi King of Hungary. Around 1500, the Hager family was granted the lordship. Between 1544 and 1570, they had the medieval castle converted into a Renaissance palace. From 1599, Paris von Sonderndorf, a staunch defender of his faith and opponent of the emperor. This led to the town being plundered several times during the Thirty Years' War and finally occupied by imperial troops. In 1629, Hans Friedrich von Sonderndorf lost his property through confiscation. The new owners were the Barons von Rappach until 1694; through marriage, the property came to Count Ernst August von Falkenhayn. In 1682 and 1752, there was severe damage from fires. 1804 Baron Leopold von Hahn, 1816 the Pereira-Arnstein family and after 1884 the Princes of and of Liechtenstein. In 1918, Baroness Maria von Preuschen inherited the estate. When the German Reich built the huge Allentsteig military training area in 1938, which at times housed up to 60,000 soldiers, it made the castle the headquarters of the command. It retained this function when it was handed over to the Republic of Austria after the Russian occupation from 1945 to 1955.

After I barely saw anything of the castle on my first visit in June 2022, I was lucky enough to get a small “private tour” today. The very nice doorman not only let me take a look behind the entrance gate, but also told me a lot of interesting things about the history. So ask nicely when you visit 😉. I think he enjoys being shown around a bit when time allows.

The sign "private way" stopped me from going any further to take a closer look at the castle. Right now I'm reading an article in the NÖN from May 7th, 2022 - "Allentsteig Castle is today the seat of the TÜPl command. SINCE LAST WEEK PART OF IT CAN BE VISITED. Julius Schlapschy leads through the walls". If I had known that, I would at least not have been so careful. Lessons learned - read before, not afterwards 😊. Allentsteig Castle has never been open to the public before. It was privately owned until 1938, after which the German Reich used it as the headquarters of the command after the construction of the Allentsteig military training area. And even during the Russian occupation, it served as a seat for the military. "During this time, a lot of the furniture disappeared, even decorative door frames were torn out," said information officer Julius Schlapschy, who conducted the very first public tour last Saturday. When it passed to the Republic of Austria after the occupation, the castle became the seat of the military training area command on May 8, 1957. Today there are offices, work and meeting rooms.

Great castle! The small detour always pays off.