Schloss Brunn am Walde, Renaissance water castle in Lichtenau im Waldviertel, Austria
Schloss Brunn am Walde is a Renaissance water castle in Lichtenau im Waldviertel featuring four wings arranged around an inner courtyard. A broad moat surrounds the entire building complex, reflecting its original purpose as a fortified structure.
The castle first appeared in records in 1172 and received its present Renaissance design in 1584 under Johann Hartmann von Trauttmannsdorff. This redesign transformed it from a medieval stronghold into an elegant residential seat for the nobility.
The architecture blends Renaissance details with later Baroque ornaments, including carved stone lions and decorative cherubs added in the 1800s. These embellishments reveal how residents of different eras chose to display their status and aesthetic preferences.
The castle remains in private ownership and can only be viewed from the outside. The best way to see it is to approach from near the village center, which gives a clear view of all four wings and the surrounding moat.
The castle retains its original Venetian-style chimneys, a rare feature in the Waldviertel region. It also preserves a functional drawbridge that passes through a rounded arch gateway into the courtyard.
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