Bruck Castle is a medieval castle located in Lienz, Tyrol. Built in the 13th century and once the political center and residence of the Counts of Gorizia, today it is a multifaceted museum covering an area of over 1000 m² in which annual contemporary exhibitions and exhibitions of the works of contemporary artists are held
Schloss Bruck History
The monumental castle, owned by the city of Lienz since 1942, is one of the main attractions of East Tyrol and today houses the city museum of Lienz with the largest collection of works by the East Tyrolean painter Albin Egger-Lienz.
Bruck Castle was built by the Counts of Gorizia between 1252 and 1277 as a residential castle on the hill, which slopes relatively steeply on three sides and faces the Schlossberg. Bruck Castle was first mentioned on 10 August 1277 as "Pruck apud Luenz" (Bruck near Lienz).
Evidence of Romanesque art has been preserved in the original components of Schloss Bruck: a biforic window with a central column and a cap of gems in the keep, the beamed ceiling painting with stylized forms of leaves and rose windows in the "Knight's Hall" as well as depictions of saints in the revelation of a window in the chapel.
When the last Gorizia, Count Leonardo, died childless in 1500, the castle of Bruck fell to King Maximilian I, who later became emperor, by means of an inheritance contract. After only a year Maximilian ceded the domain of Lienz, including the castle for 22,000 florins, in an "eternal redemption" to Baron Michael von Wolkenstein-Rodenegg. The fire of the city of Lienz in 1609 contributed significantly to the economic decline of the family, which ended in bankruptcy in 1642.This resulted in the passage of the government of Lienz and thus also of the castle of Bruck to the Tyrolean prince Archduke Ferdinand Charles. Haller Damenstift took over the castle in 1653, which was later the seat of jurisdiction.
After the abolition of Haller Damenstift in 1783 by Emperor Joseph, Schloss Bruck served the imperial army as a field hospital, but also as a barracks. Since 1827 in private ownership, the castle was the seat of the transport, brewery and restaurant until the last private owner Ottilie Röck carried out a complete restoration of Bruck castle in the years 1911-1913 on the basis of Bavarian castles such as Neuschwanstein. Mitzi (Maria) Kramer, whom she adopted, sold Bruck Castle in 1942. The city of Lienz became the new owner of the castle and has remained so to this day.
This marks the provisional end point in many lovers' eventful history and at the same time heralds a new era at Schloss Bruck: the former prince's castle has become a museum.