Schloss Goldenstein

Schloss Goldenstein History

There are no documents on the builder or the year of construction of the castle, so one can only guess. The most probable date of origin is around 1400, which can be deduced from documented citations, construction dates and stylistic comparisons. But the lords of Campanif are also credited with the construction of the castle in 1271. From the 15th century, Goldenstein can be archived.

The gold-digging operation, which was conducted in Upper Salzach (albeit on a very small scale) until the 19th century, has occasionally been associated with the name Goldenstein. However, as Franz Hörburger Goldenstein confirmed, “it has nothing to do with metallic gold; with its two parts of the word it is a typical name of the castle ”. From the top of the Hellbrunn mountain and from the panoramic terrace above the stone theater, there is a beautiful historically important view over the flood forest and the Salzach up to Goldenstein Castle. In this context, Adolf Hahnl "makes it clear that the entire axis of the Mannerist garden of Hellbrunn Palace is aligned with Goldenstein's palace." Under Prince Archbishop Firmian, this important axis of the palace gardens was emphasized even more clearly by the gardener of Franz Anton Danreiter court creating an avenue of spruce trees in front of the Goldenstein palace. In the adjacent riparian wood, this axis is clearly recognizable as a narrow, uncontaminated "passage". Another historical axis was from Anif Castle to Goldenstein Castle. This former long boulevard has only survived in a very small area.

There are no documents on the builder or the year of construction of the castle, so one can only guess. The most probable date of origin is around 1400, which can be deduced from documented citations, construction dates and stylistic comparisons. But the lords of Campanif are also credited with the construction of the castle in 1271. From the 15th century, Goldenstein can be archived.

The gold-digging operation, which was conducted in Upper Salzach (albeit on a very small scale) until the 19th century, has occasionally been associated with the name Goldenstein. However, as Franz Hörburger Goldenstein confirmed, “it has nothing to do with metallic gold; with its two parts of the word it is a typical name of the castle ”. From the top of the Hellbrunn mountain and from the panoramic terrace above the stone theater, there is a beautiful historically important view over the flood forest and the Salzach up to Goldenstein Castle. In this context, Adolf Hahnl "makes it clear that the entire axis of the Mannerist garden of Hellbrunn Palace is aligned with Goldenstein's palace." Under Prince Archbishop Firmian, this important axis of the palace gardens was emphasized even more clearly by the gardener of Franz Anton Danreiter court creating an avenue of spruce trees in front of the Goldenstein palace. In the adjacent riparian wood, this axis is clearly recognizable as a narrow, uncontaminated "passage". Another historical axis was from Anif Castle to Goldenstein Castle. This former long boulevard has only survived in a very small area.

Goldenstein's first verifiable owner is Hans von Haunsperg, mentioned as owner in 1417. After his death in 1449, his son-in-law, Ritter Ulrich von Fladnitz, is listed as the owner. The owners changed several times until Raimund Anton Meinrad von Rehlingen sold the castle to the Benedictine monastery of St. Peter in 1710, becoming part of the Carmelite order in Rome. From this point on, the castle was the seat of the real estate administration and was also used as a place of relaxation.

In 1869 the monastery of St. Peter decided to sell Goldenstein and in 1877 left it to the women of the Augustinian choir who were expelled from Rastatt near Baden. Since 1897 this Order of the Regulated Female Choir of St. Augustine of the Congregation Our Loving Lady Owners of the facility. Goldenstein Castle was later adapted as a monastery and educational center.

The diversity of cultural life and work in Goldenstein in the 18th century includes the construction activity, economic base, equipment and artists. The external appearance of the castle at the beginning of the 18th century is testified by a portrait of Raimund von Rehlingen, which can be found in today's dining room. The Baroque palace complex is illustrated even more clearly in a painting from 1768, which is also found in the dining room. The imposing building is represented from the south with the so-called stately staircase, the two buildings and the garden of delights with the rigorously symmetrical layout typical of the time. The extent of the property linked to Goldenstein can be seen in a purchase letter dated 1695, which is found in the archive of the monastery of San Pietro. In 1710 there are 29 stately subjects and estates belonging to Goldenstein.

There is also evidence that extensive renovations were carried out inside and out during the 18th century. For example, in the years from 1761 to 1768 and especially in 1772, when many artists and craftsmen were entrusted with adaptation works. The fixtures, windows and curtains are renewed, the carpenter Josef Krimpacher makes tables and boxes. Plasterers were employed to furnish the rooms and paintings were purchased. The painter Franz Xaver König also worked in the four guest rooms and in the dining room. In 1790 the entire castle was renovated by a carpenter named Rödl.

The castle was mainly used as a place of relaxation in the autumn months of September and October. A preserved guest book from 1790 records the names of all visitors who dined at Goldenstein for lunch and dinner. Not only abbots of the monastery of St. Peter, but also family members, professors, brothers of the monastery, nobles and citizens of Salzburg, as well as visitors from the surrounding counties, regularly came to the castle to have lunch there. Michael Haydn, Joseph Haydn's younger brother, was also a frequent guest at Schloss Goldenstein, who regularly stayed and dined in Goldenstein from Friday to Saturday.