Kellerschlössel Domäne Wachau

The Kellerschlössel stands in the vineyards south-east of Dürnstein in the Wachau valley. It is a small baroque pleasure palace built above deep vaulted cellars. The Chorherren of Dürnstein had kept wine cellars here since 1693, and Probst Hieronymus Übelbacher commissioned the building between 1710 and 1719. The palace was designed by Jakob Prandtauer and built by Gabriel Oedl. It was never meant for daily life but for representation and gatherings. After the Chorherrenstift was dissolved in 1788, the Starhemberg family acquired the estate. In 1938 Ernst Rüdiger Starhemberg sold it to the Winzergenossenschaft Wachau, which still owns it today. Inside, the two-storey building has a cross-shaped floor plan. The central hall on the upper floor is dedicated to Bacchus, while the eastern cabinet shows the four elements in frescoes. A rich collection of baroque engravings is kept here. The terrace on the west side is adorned with putti from the early 18th century. The cellars beneath store Wachau wines.