Schallaburg, Renaissance castle in Schollach, Austria.

Schallaburg is a castle in Schollach, Lower Austria, combining a Romanesque residential building and a Gothic chapel with Italian Renaissance forms. Its two-storey arcaded court has cantilevered staircases, and the walls carry terracotta mosaics of mythological figures, gods, masks, humans and animals, among them the Hundefräulein, a figure with a woman's body and a dog's head.

The castle began as a fortress called Schala, first recorded in 1242 and later transformed under the Losenstein family. Major rebuilding between 1456 and 1614 shaped it into the Renaissance form visible today.

Since 1974 the castle has served as Lower Austria's exhibition centre, opening with a show on the Renaissance. A new themed exhibition is mounted each year, such as Venice in 2011, Byzantium in 2012, the First World War in 2014 and the Vikings in 2015.

Schallaburg lies about 5 km from Melk in the Mostviertel, in the village of Schallaburg within the municipality of Schollach. The grounds sit on a ridge spur at 310 m, so the approach and courtyard involve slopes and stairs. The museum opened in 1974 after renovation by architect Wilhelm Zotti; a new annual exhibition is mounted each year, so check what is currently on before planning a full walk-through.

Two large dragon sculptures at the entrance serve as slides for children, playfully blending history with fun. The surrounding orchards feature heritage apple varieties from the Renaissance, shaping the rural landscape around the castle.