Schloss Kirchberg am Walde

Schloss Kirchberg am Walde stands on a terrace in the southern part of the village of Kirchberg am Walde in Gmünd district, Lower Austria. The building is listed as a historic monument. A castle is first mentioned in 1172, when it belonged to the Lords of Kirchberg. Over the centuries it passed through many noble families, including the Kollonitsch barons, the Kuefstein counts and the Veterani-Mallenthein counts. In the 19th century French aristocrats lived here, including members of the French royal family. The medieval core survives in the four-winged structure, later enlarged in the Baroque and early Classical styles. The west wing is linked to the castle church on a rocky outcrop. The east side has a forecourt and the so-called Small Castle. The former farmyard lies to the south. A 1733 church was rebuilt in the 18th century and the Small Castle was extended around 1780–90. The site suffered damage in 1945 and was restored in 1974–75. Visitors find a complex of buildings arranged on uneven ground. The main four-wing block encloses an inner courtyard with Gothic traces. The Small Castle and the church stand apart, connected by a single wing. The farmyard buildings and a relocated stone column called the ‘light pillar’ complete the ensemble. The setting combines medieval walls with later Baroque and Classical additions.