Top 20 Castles in Bezirk Waidhofen an der Thaya

Karlstein was first mentioned in 1112 as "Chadelstain." As a fiefdom, Karlstein belonged to the respective territorial princes, who granted this rule to knightly families, although no continuous dynasty established itself here. Since the castle was never owned by a single family for an extended period, it was continually rebuilt and expanded. Practically nothing remains of the original castle. In the following centuries, the border region was repeatedly raided by enemy armies (Ottokar, Hussites, Matthias Corvinus). After the suppression of the Peasants' Revolt in 1597, the leader, Andreas Schrembser, was presumably imprisoned in Karlstein Castle. In 1645, the Swedes besieged Karlstein Castle in vain. In 1663, it served as a refuge during the Turkish threat. In 1914, an internment camp was established in the castle, despite it being uninhabitable. The Montenegrin General Staff was also imprisoned there. After the war, the Hungarian communist leader Béla Kun was interned here. Later, the castle was used as a youth hostel, and in the 1960s, it also served as a guesthouse. The castle is now privately owned and no longer open to the public.

A lovingly maintained castle ruin in the middle of the Waldviertel Kamp landscape

Opening Hours 2025: April 26 - September 28 Saturdays, Sundays, and Public Holidays Hourly guided tours from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., no registration required (last tour at 5 p.m.) Group tours and weekdays by appointment with Mr. Karl Michael Liemberger at +43677/623 412 26

Castle visits are possible with a guide, but only on weekends. Getting there is the easiest when approaching the Raabs an der Thaya from the south. Road uphills from the town centre is very steep, so prepare for pushing the bike.

The Raabs Borderland Museum was founded in 1984 by the town of Raabs under the then City Councillor for Culture Othmar Knapp. The museum building was built by the Raabs Raiffeisenkasse. Under the motto "6,000 years of farming on the Thaya", the Neolithic stone axes found in the town area, medieval archaeological finds, remaining inventory items from Raabs Castle and various agricultural and forestry equipment are on display. In 1998, the museum was redesigned. In view of the sharp increase in archaeological finds in the area, a room was dedicated to "history from the ground". It was set up by Dr. Kurt Bors, who has been working in this area since 1987 on archaeological surveys and the localization of lost medieval sites. The second exhibition theme chosen for the anniversary in 2000 was "900 years of Raabs Castle and Market" and is dedicated to the historical development of the market up until it was declared a town in 1926. Opening hours: Mon-Thurs: 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. and 1 p.m. to 4 p.m., Fri: 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. and by telephone arrangement

Museum of the Kollmitz RuinsThe two former castle rooms in the outer bailey to the right of the entrance have been adapted as a museum and snack bar. Exhibits on the history of the castle and various finds are on display here. A documentation on the life and work of the topographer Georg Matthäus Vischer (1628 - 1696) can also be viewed.VisitYou can get the key for the towers and for the museum visit at the snack bar of the Kollmitz Ruins: open daily from May to October from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. in good weather, July & August until 6 p.m.Admission: adults € 2.00, children € 1.00.Free admission for NÖ-CARD holders! For group registrations please call +43 664 4615881 (Mrs. Martina Rieder).

Beautiful old ruin to visit, in summer also a snack station on site

Beautiful, spacious property. More about the story: http://noeburgen.imareal.sbg.ac.at/result/burgid/1840