Burg Perchtoldsdorf

The beginnings of the Perchtoldsdorf Castle date back to the eleventh century. Immediately after the Bavarian Duke Heinrich der Zänker defeated the Hungarians in 991 and occupied the area around Vienna and the eastern edge of the Alps, a chain of fortifications was built on the southern slope of the Viennese Wood to ward off incursions from the east. One link in this chain was Perchtoldsdorf Castle, a stone tower castle surrounded by a rampart, moat, and fence. It was built by a family of servants Babenbergs on the hill above today's market place. This family probably also belonged to the legendary “Berchtold”, who gave the place its name, but it is not found in historical sources.

Over time, several wooden buildings were built around this tower castle, which the lords of Perchtoldsdorf used mainly for residential purposes. The keep was built in 1180, the current south tower of the castle. From 1250 to 1270 the hall and the residential wing (with three floors) were built in pure ashlar masonry and a gate tower with a drawbridge.

Generously enlarged in 1340 under Albrecht II, Perchtoldsdorf Castle became the widowed seat of several duchesses of the Habsburg dynasty, who helped the inhabitants of Perchtoldsdorf, although they did not remain permanently in the village, to achieve some prosperity in the wake of their stately court. The most important for the place was Beatrix von Zollern, the widow of Albrecht III. Their son Albrecht IV granted Perchtoldsdorf two annual fair privileges in 1400 and 1404, as well as the right to elect judges and councils.

In 1958 an emergency roof was built on the Palassaal and in 1964 the former residential wing was transformed into a cultural center by Karl Harberger.

The castle courtyard has been used annually for the Perchtoldsdorf Summer Games Summer Theater since 1976. After further renovations in 2008, the theater season was canceled. In June 2010 the castle was reopened, so the old fabric of the building remained intact, but a new underground event hall and a new foyer were created, as the old foyer had to give way to a kitchen with modern doors sliding. However, there are now wheelchair accessible stairs and an elevator. Instead of the upstairs buffet, there is now a modern glass and steel construction, which has replaced the historic walls. The historic exit of the castle courtyard was bricked up and the gate of the historic armory in the castle courtyard was rendered unusable, as the steel and glass building in front of it is not accessible. For the transition from the old castle to the new dance hall, the historic intermediate wall was opened by a passage in reinforced concrete.