Wildberg Kirchschlag Castle - Schloss Wildberg Kirchschlag

Wildberg Kirchschlag Castle - Schloss Wildberg Kirchschlag, Kirchschlag bei Linz, Upper Austria, Republic of Austria.

   Wildberg Castle, now partially ruined, is located in the municipality of Kirchschlag near Linz in the Mühlviertel region of Upper Austria. Wildberg is the oldest castle in the Mühlviertel and has been owned by the Starhemberg family since the High Middle Ages. In July 1394, the castle served as a temporary prison for the Bohemian King Wenceslaus and is the setting for several of Adalbert Stifter's poems.

   The first documented mention of the castle dates back to 1145. It held particular strategic and economic importance due to its control over the Haselgraben, a significant trade route between Bohemia and central Upper Austria, part of the Linz Trail.

   Around the mid-16th century, a Renaissance building with an arcaded walkway was constructed between the tower and the Gothic castle. A fire ravaged the castle in 1654, but the damage was soon repaired. From 1664/65 onwards, the current castle was built on the site of the former outer bailey.