Dear Hive Friends!
I had not planned to visit this Romanesque castle. I discovered by chance that it was close to the Seegrotte, which I had visited in Maria Enzersdorf, Lower Austria. Curious to see what else the area had to offer, I decided to explore a little further.
While walking around the surroundings, I met a local lady who was out hiking. I asked her about the castle, and she told me it was only about a 12-minute walk from where we were. What a pleasant surprise! We continued our walk together, and she kindly showed me the way to the castle. We eventually parted at the back of the castle, as she was heading home.
A Castle with a Fascinating History
Liechtenstein Castle is a medieval fortress built around 1130 by the House of Liechtenstein. Perched on pale limestone rock at the edge of the Vienna Woods (Wienerwald), the castle occupies a remarkable position overlooking the surrounding landscape.
Over the centuries, the castle changed hands and endured numerous hardships. During the Second Ottoman Siege of Vienna in 1683, it suffered extensive destruction and was left in ruins. In 1808, the Princes of Liechtenstein reacquired the ruins and began restoring the castle, incorporating the Neo-Romanesque style that gives it much of its present appearance.
Unfortunately, the castle suffered further damage during the Second World War and the subsequent Soviet occupation. Its interior furnishings and archives were looted, leaving behind another difficult chapter in its long history. Restoration work continued in the years following the war, helping to preserve this historic landmark.
Due to safety concerns, the castle was closed to the public between 2007 and 2009. Following further renovation, it reopened in the spring of 2010, allowing visitors to once again admire its historic architecture.
A Castle Visit That Will Have to Wait
Sadly, the castle was closed when I arrived. Access is limited to scheduled visiting hours, so I could only admire it from the outside. Although I would have loved to explore its interior, I was happy that I had at least discovered this fascinating place and learned a little about its history.
By then, I had worked up quite an appetite! I decided to take a break at a nearby local restaurant, where I enjoyed a hearty meal of Gulasch with dumplings. After a satisfying lunch, it was time to head back to Vienna.
Although my visit to the castle did not turn out exactly as I had hoped, it was still a lovely little adventure. Perhaps one day, I will return when the castle is open to visitors and finally get the chance to explore its interior. Until then, I have another travel memory to add to my collection!
Zusammenfassung auf Deutsch
Ein ungeplanter Besuch auf Burg Liechtenstein
Eigentlich hatte ich keinen Besuch der Burg Liechtenstein geplant. Zuf盲llig entdeckte ich, dass sie nicht weit von der Seegrotte in Maria Enzersdorf in Nieder枚sterreich entfernt liegt. Eine freundliche Einheimische, die gerade wandern war, zeigte mir den Weg zur Burg, die nur etwa zw枚lf Gehminuten entfernt war.
Die mittelalterliche Burg wurde um 1130 von der Familie Liechtenstein erbaut. Im Laufe der Jahrhunderte wurde sie mehrfach besch盲digt und zerst枚rt, bevor sie 1808 von den F眉rsten von Liechtenstein zur眉ckgekauft und im neoromanischen Stil wiederhergestellt wurde.
Leider war die Burg bei meinem Besuch geschlossen, da Besichtigungen nur zu bestimmten Zeiten m枚glich sind. So konnte ich sie lediglich von au脽en bewundern. Anschlie脽end g枚nnte ich mir in einem nahe gelegenen Restaurant ein herzhaftes Mittagessen mit Gulasch und Kn枚deln, bevor ich mich auf den R眉ckweg nach Wien machte.
Auch wenn ich die Burg nicht von innen besichtigen konnte, war es ein sch枚ner, ungeplanter Ausflug. Manchmal sind es gerade die spontanen Entdeckungen, die uns besondere Erinnerungen schenken. Vielleicht habe ich bei einem n盲chsten Besuch mehr Gl眉ck!
References:
https://oesterreichwiki.org/wiki/Burg_Liechtenstein
https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burg_Liechtenstein
@gremayo, all photos are by 
@mers