Schloss Grub

Schloss Grub stands on the eastern shore of Hallstätter See near Obertraun in Upper Austria’s Salzkammergut. The building began as a farmhouse called Gut in der Grub in 1522. Over the centuries it passed through the hands of the Eysselsberg family, the Russian ambassador Alexander Tschaffkini, and later owners including the Kürschner-Schön family. A local legend tells of a wedding party that broke the ice on the frozen lake and drowned, remembered by a column inside the castle. The castle is now private property, protected as a listed monument. The present structure is a villa-like building shaped like a hook, with three round towers topped by conical roofs and a single square tower capped by a pyramid roof. The square tower links the main building to the castle chapel. The roof is steep, with high gable ends adorned by a stucco frieze of lunettes. These towers were added relatively recently to give the castle its romantic appearance. The whole gives an impression of a grand villa rather than a medieval fortress. Visitors can view the castle only from the lake side because a high fence now blocks access from the eastern shore path. The boat ride on Hallstätter See offers the best view of the castle’s façades and towers. Inside, the chapel and historic rooms remain private, but the exterior architecture and lakeside setting remain impressive. The contrast between the villa-style building and the dramatic mountain backdrop of the Salzkammergut adds to the scene. The castle’s silhouette against the lake and cliffs makes it a quiet landmark in a region famous for its scenery.