As the road from Mattersburg takes you through several hairpin bends towards your destination, you have the elevated position of Forchtenstein Castle clearly in view for most of the time.
Close up it looks even more impressive.
The oldest parts of the castle date from the 15th century, but it was greatly extended in the 1600s when it came into the possession of the Esterházy family. They still own it.
The architect responsible for most of the 17th century renovations and extensions was Italian, as were many of the workers. The Italian influence is clearly visible in many parts of the castle.
The inner courtyard features the largest ‘secco’ murals north of the Alps. The term refers to a technique where the paint (mixed with suitable binding agents) is applied to dry plaster. ‘Fresco’ painting, in the narrow sense, involves wet plaster.
The next two shots show sections of the ceilings.
The crocodile has apparently been there since 1706, as a manifestation of power and a symbolic threat to potential attackers. The castle was in fact never conquered.
Various nice sculptures are dotted around the site. I particularly liked this statue of Neptune on top of a small fountain.
The castle is home to a number of different collections (some of them slightly odd). Its large weapons collection is probably the most well-known. Various displays of weapons can also be found outside the armaments repository itself.
There is a small bistro at the castle. Its terrace offers good views across the plain below.
