Wolfsberg Castle - Schloss Wolfsberg

Wolfsberg Castle - Schloss Wolfsberg, Wolfsberg, Carinthia, Republic of Austria.

   Wolfsberg Castle in Carinthia, a historic estate steeped in history, was part of the holdings of the Bishopric of Bamberg from 1007 onwards. The castle was first documented in 1178 in a record of St. Paul's Abbey. This castle played a crucial role in the development of the surrounding settlement, which was granted the status of a full town in 1289. From the second quarter of the 14th century until 1759, when all Bamberg property in Carinthia was sold to the Austrian state, the castle served as the residence of the Bamberg vice-dom, who represented the bishop in local administrative matters.

   In the 16th century, under the direction of Italian builders, the castle underwent a significant transformation into a fortress to protect it from the advancing Turks. During this period, residential wings, gates, and towers were added, including the construction of a bell tower in 1561.

   In 1846, the estate passed into the hands of the industrial pioneer Hugo Henckel von Donnersmarck. He chose Wolfsberg Castle because of its abundant timber and water resources, which were essential for operating his ironworks. From 1847 to 1853, he commissioned the Viennese architects Johann Romano and August Schwendenwein to remodel the castle in the English Tudor style, furnishing the interior luxuriously. Traces of the original Renaissance structure have now almost completely disappeared.

   Another notable building on the estate is the former riding school, built in 1855 in the Neo-Romanesque style, which is also a listed historical monument. The castle park, part of the grounds dating from the 1850s, is one of Austria's most important garden architectural monuments and is listed in the Austrian Federal Monuments Act.

   Since 1937, the estate has been owned by Kärntner Montanindustrie GmbH, which rents out the castle's halls for events and weddings. The current managing director is Andreas Graf Henckel von Donnersmarck. The castle restaurant, run by the Stölzl family, provides the culinary offerings.