When I was in Vienna, visiting Kreuzenstein Castle was an easy option since it’s so close to the city. I absolutely fell in love with it, a medieval gem with charming influences from all around Europe. It was exactly what I was hoping to see in a medieval castle and I can’t recommend a visit enough.

Kreuzenstein Castle’s History

Kreuzenstein Castle dates back to the early 12th century when the original name “Grizanstein” was first documented in 1115, and the Habsburgs came into possession of the castle in the mid 13th century. During the Thirty Years’ War (1618-1648), it became a stronghold for Vienna and sadly was blown up by the Swedish troops in 1645, when it was virtually abandoned.

Fortunately for architecture lovers, the castle fell into the hands of the Counts of Wilczek and Count Johann Nepomuk Graf Wilczek started to reconstruct the castle in 1874, centuries after being “left for dead.” The Count restored it with period-appropriate furniture and decor while also adding some more elements from other cultures and art eras.

Visiting Kreuzenstein Castle today

Visiting Kreuzenstein Castle is done by tour only. Tickets are bought at the entrance to the castle, which is behind the main doors. If the doors are closed, don’t fret – there should be a sign telling you the next tour time, at which hour the doors will open and you can buy your tickets.

Tours are done on the hour so make sure you don’t get there at 5 minutes past, like I did. You’ll need to wait for the next tour. There is a restaurant right across from the castle if you want something to eat or drink while you wait.

Tours are also done only in German but they do have an English print-out that gives you the gist of what you’re seeing.

First you’re taken into the courtyard, which is the true fairytale center of Kreuzenstein Castle. You’ll see why in the photos – it’s a blend of different European influences. While it’s a castle, it’s smaller in scale so it feels much cozier. I guess that’s the best way to describe it – cozy! It has the intricate stonework of a rich castle while still feeling intimate.

You’ll see that there’s parts of a half-timber building from Romania, then some Romanesque details, as well as Gothic influences and a Venetian well. It uses the same color stone so all the styles fit harmoniously, but it retains the interest of all these different styles. It’s really an architectural masterpiece and when I have my dream house one day, it’s this kind of harmonious hodge-podge I’m hoping to go for.

Photos are not allowed inside but the interiors are so beautiful. You get to see the kitchen with an invention by Leonardo da Vinci, the armory with one of Europe’s largest collection of original medieval weapons, the drinking hall, the hunting room, and the bedroom. With the beautifully carved wood and stonework, and the authentic furniture and tapestries, it’s a look at the medieval past. It’s also cozy enough to, honestly, look like the set of a Disney movie. I mean that in a very positive way – it’s accurate and charming.

The drinking hall itself reminds me of what every German beerhall in the U.S. strives to look like. Not that historically accurate buildings aren’t beautiful, but I think the fact that it’s an artful reconstruction really explains why it’s just so lovely. It’s romanticized.

My only complaint is that the tour covers only a small portion of the castle. I’m guessing the other parts haven’t been preserved as well as the ones you get to see, but I would LOVE to have seen other areas of the castle. It was just so gorgeous I wanted more!

There’s also an eagle/birds of prey show that runs only at certain times, but their official website doesn’t seem to have any info on it.

Getting to Kreuzenstein Castle from Leobendorf-Burg Kreuzenstein Station

From Vienna, you can easily get to Leobendorf-Burg Kreuzenstein. Make sure you buy a ticket for this train since it is not included with your Vienna City Card. Make note of this station since you’ll need the town’s name to type in your destination for your tickets.

So when you get to the train station, certainly there’s a shuttle up to the castle, right? Nope!

There is no bus which means that you have to either 1) call an Uber or 2) walk up the hill to the castle. I had a side stitch so I did option 1 for the way up, and opted to walk down. If you’re walking, it takes about half an hour. There’s a sidewalk when you start going up, and it comes to an end at a certain point. Here you can follow the sign for the pedestrian path, which will lead you through the woods, or you can continue to go on the street without a sidewalk.

When you see the castle from the train station, it looks very intimidatingly high up. I walked on the street for the way down and it was not a steep incline. I don’t think it would have been too challenging to walk up, but like I said, my body was in rough shape.

I thought visiting Kreuzenstein Castle would be a good half-day trip but if you want it to be only a half day, you have to time it well. Start early, get to the castle near the hour change, and allow yourself enough time to walk to and from the castle on weekends. I think with the train ride, the walking, the waiting an hour for a tour, and the hour long tour, it ended up being about 5 hours I was gone from Vienna. Since I got back around 4:00pm it was a bit too late to go to some others museums I’d been wanting to.

I definitely recommend a trip to Kreuzenstein Castle if you have the time. Vienna has a lot to offer, so don’t skimp on the city, but definitely keep the castle in mind, especially if you’re a fan of medieval history. It’s definitely one of my favorite castles I’ve visited.

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