Burg Ottenstein

Burg Ottenstein stands on a wooded hill above the Ottenstein reservoir in the Waldviertel region of Lower Austria. The village of Ottenstein lies below, part of the market town of Rastenfeld. A medieval stronghold, it is also called Schloss Ottenstein by local people. The first written mention of the Ottenstein family dates from 1177, yet the castle itself may be older. The lords of Rauheneck near Baden were relatives of the Ottensteins, who held the castle until the 15th century. The castle has passed through many hands. After the Rohr family, Paul Stodoligk bought it in 1516 and his son Eustach added the outer bailey. The Lamberg family owned it for more than 400 years, becoming barons in 1544 and counts in 1667. During the Thirty Years War the castle withstood two sieges, in 1622 and 1640. Later baroque alterations remain visible today, including the chapel decorated by Lorando Aliprandi and the so-called Popes’ Room with portraits of 241 popes. Visitors find the oldest part, the castle chapel, with 12th-century frescoes uncovered in 1975. The baroque interiors include the Florian chapel richly adorned with stucco. The Popes’ Room displays its unusual collection of papal portraits. Outside, the hilltop offers wide views over the reservoir and surrounding forest. The outer bailey houses the castle kitchen, now used mainly for weddings and larger groups. A nearby Landesausstellung in 2001 explored the theme of castles and human existence.