Schloss Ebenzweier

Schloss Ebenzweier stands in Altmünster beside the Traunsee in Upper Austria. The building began as a small fortified house for the Schachner family in the 13th century and later became a Renaissance manor. After many changes of owner it was enlarged into a two-courtyard country house in the 19th century. The castle is worth visiting for its long history and the traces left by its owners. The Schachners were Protestant nobles who had to leave the country in the 17th century. Later owners included the Seeau family, who ran up debts so large that the estate was sold by auction. Erzherzog Maximilian Josef d’Este carried out a grand renovation before passing it to his niece, who sold it to a Spanish prince. A fire in 2016 destroyed the roof and endangered the whole structure. Today the inner courtyard is completely enclosed while the outer courtyard has three wings. A stone octagonal fountain with coats of arms and a statue of Saint Florian stands in the front yard. The middle section shows glazed arcades and a small clock turret. The chapel contains an altar from about 1660 and carved wooden doors dated 1633. Beyond the walls lies a landscaped park that once reached the lake but now stops at the main road.