Schloss Ebenfurth

Schloss Ebenfurth stands in the town of Ebenfurth in Lower Austria, a few kilometres from Wiener Neustadt. Built as a medieval fortress, it was later transformed into a grand baroque residence. The building’s square outline and fortified walls still show its original military purpose. Over the centuries it served as a refuge during Turkish invasions, including the 1529 advance that reached Vienna. The imperial master builder Hans Saphoy worked here in the late 16th century. Later expansions added lavish baroque interiors. The castle is worth visiting for its rare surviving baroque frescoes by Franz Anton Maulbertsch. These murals date from the 18th-century rebuilding after Ottoman damage. The site also preserves evidence of a once-thriving Jewish community through 28 gravestones found in 2020. For much of the 20th century the building fell into neglect until a new owner began full restoration in 2017. The work revealed both the craftsmanship of earlier eras and the scars left by war and vandalism. Visitors now find a carefully repaired residence with a grand staircase and high ceilings. The restored rooms display the original stucco and painted decorations. Outside, the surrounding parkland frames the square façade and moat remnants. The interior tour includes the baroque hall where the frescoes glow on the walls. Beyond the main building, the outer defences show traces of the castle’s military past.