Lockenhaus Castle

Lockenhaus was built in the thirteenth century on the frontier between Hungary and Austria and passed through the Kanizsai, Nádasdy and Esterházy families before Professor Paul Anton Keller and his wife Margaret bought the ruined castle in 1968; after his death she put it into a foundation in his name to save it from decay. Its most striking room is the Kultsaal, a two-storey vaulted Gothic hall whose original purpose is unresolved - explanations run from a knights' chapter room to a Templar connection, none of them settled - and its vaulting is unusual enough to be studied on its own account. The castle's darker association is Elizabeth Báthory, who lived here through her marriage to Ferenc Nádasdy. Since 1981 it has hosted an international chamber music festival, founded by Gidon Kremer, held in the knights' hall each summer.

History

The castle was built around 1200, first appears in records in 1242, and is the oldest fortress in Burgenland; it was held by the lords of Güssing from 1266 to 1390, the Kanizsai until 1535, the Nádasdy until 1676 and the Esterházy until 1968, and was wrecked in 1337 under Charles I of Hungary. The town became a market in 1492, and Ferenc Nádasdy, lord of the castle, married Elizabeth Báthory. In 1968 Professor Paul Anton Keller and his wife Margaret bought the ruined castle, and after his death she set up a foundation in his name, which has held it since 1980 (Wikipedia, Burg Lockenhaus).

What you'll find

• The Gothic Kultsaal - a two-storey vaulted hall whose purpose is still argued over.
• A frontier castle of 1200s - built on the old Hungarian-Austrian border.
• A chamber music festival - held in the knights' hall each summer since 1981.
• A foundation-owned building - saved from decay by a private purchase in 1968.

When to go

April to October; the chamber festival is in summer. Half a day.

Good to know

Winter opening is limited. Festival dates restrict access to the halls. The Báthory connection is real but the lurid stories attached to her are heavily contested by historians.

Nearby

Bernstein and Stadtschlaining are close; the Hungarian border is east.

Key facts