The best walks and hikes around Rastenfeld

From the 15th century onwards, Lichtenfels changed hands frequently until the castle came to Rastenberg in 1628. As the new owners moved their seat of power to Rastenberg, the slow decay of Lichtenfels began in 1774. In 1790, the Freiherrn von Bartenstein, who owned Rastenberg and Lichtenfels, sold the majority of the castle's roof to Stift Zwettl. The reason for this was the roof tax introduced by Emperor Joseph II, which was calculated based on the size of the roof areas. Numerous noble families throughout the country had their cold and uninhabitable castles de-roofed at that time to save taxes. In 1804, the last inhabitant left Lichtenfels castle, which has been owned by the Thurn-Valsassina family together with Rastenberg since 1872. The Romanesque chapel, formerly dedicated to the Apostle Paul, was a destination for small pilgrimages for a long time; the last one took place in 1960 from Friedersbach. Lichtenfels castle ruins can be visited all year round (at your own risk).

From the 15th century onwards, Lichtenfels frequently changed owners until the castle came into the possession of Rastenberg in 1628. As the new owners relocated their seat of power to Rastenberg, the slow decay of Lichtenfels began in 1774. In 1790, the barons von Bartenstein, who owned Rastenberg and Lichtenfels, sold the majority of the castle's roof to the Zwettl Abbey. The reason for this was the roof tax introduced by Emperor Joseph II, which was calculated based on the size of the roof areas. Numerous noble families throughout the country had their cold and uninhabitable castles stripped of their roofs at that time to save taxes. In 1804, the last inhabitant left Lichtenfels Castle, which, together with Rastenberg, has been owned by the Thurn-Valsassina family since 1872. The Romanesque chapel, formerly dedicated to the Apostle Paul, was a destination for small pilgrimages for a long time, the last of which took place in 1960 from Friedersbach. Lichtenfels Castle ruins can be visited all year round (at your own risk).

On a peninsula in the Ottenstein reservoir, the Lichtenfels castle ruins rise picturesquely. Before the creation of the reservoir (1954-1957) and the construction of the federal road B38 with the bridge completed in 1957, the Lichtenfels castle, first mentioned in 1248, stood lonely on a rocky ridge high above the Kamp river. In the 13th century, an important ministerial family resided here, initially bearing the nickname „Tursen“, deriving from Rauheneck castle near Baden, and towards the end of this century took the name „Lichtenfels“. Under their rule were numerous surrounding places, such as Friedersbach, for example. During the Hussite invasions of 1427/28, Lichtenfels served as a storage place for the archives and treasures of the Zwettl Abbey.

The Lichtenfels castle ruins rise picturesquely on a peninsula in the Ottenstein reservoir. Before the construction of the reservoir (1954-1957) and the erection of the federal road B38 with the bridge completed in 1957, the Lichtenfels castle, first mentioned in 1248, lay lonely on a rocky ridge high above the Kamp. In the 13th century, an important ministerial family resided here, initially bearing the nickname "Tursen", deriving from Rauheneck Castle near Baden, and towards the end of this century bearing the name "Lichtenfels". Numerous surrounding villages were under their dominion, including Friedersbach, for example. During the Hussite invasions of 1427/28, Lichtenfels served as a storage place for the archives and treasures of the Zwettl Abbey.

No Merlot here — the shelf stands empty, quiet, waiting for a bottle that never comes. Kein Merlot hier — das Regal bleibt leer, still, wartend auf eine Flasche, die nie kommt. Pas de Merlot ici — l'étagère reste vide, silencieuse, attendant une bouteille qui n'arrive jamais. No hay Merlot aquí — el estante queda vacío, silencioso, esperando una botella que nunca llega.

The Ottenstein reservoir, is the largest of the Kamp lakes and is among the richest waters in fish in Austria and at the same time among the best predatory fish waters in Europe. Its water surface is 4.3 km² and extends with its fjord-like, branched side arms, with a length of more than 14 km, up to Zwettl. The deepest point is 69 m.

The Zwettl City Museum is a modern museum designed to appeal to both children and adults! We don't just want to preserve history, but to present it in an engaging, memorable, informative, and interesting way. Therefore, this museum is designed according to the latest museum education principles. All activities are geared towards achieving this goal. The museum features a model of the city where visitors can modify all the elements—houses, city walls, and bridges. With the help of instructions, the city's development from its founding in the 12th century to the 20th century can be traced. In addition to the most important documents of the city of Zwettl, the collection includes numerous weapons, among them original "Kuenringer weapons" from the 13th century, which were discovered during excavations in Zwettl.

The City Museum – Enriched with Many Attractions On Saturday, June 21, 2003, the Zwettl City Museum, redesigned as part of the "Urban Renewal in Lower Austria" initiative, celebrated its reopening. During the interior renovation, new spaces for the City Museum were created in the attic. Part of these rooms is dedicated to the theme of "Collecting" and houses the exhibits of the "Anton Collection" in a permanent display. Among the exhibited objects are numerous unique pieces and outstanding works of art, such as a Romanesque Madonna and precious glass rarities from the Baroque period. In addition to the exhibition spaces for the "Anton Collection," a generously sized room was also created for special exhibitions. The old wooden framework of the roof truss remains almost entirely visible and contributes significantly to the ambiance of the newly created exhibition spaces.