Artstetten Castle

Artstetten Castle (German: Schloss Artstetten) is a château near the Wachau valley in Lower Austria, in the community of Artstetten-Pöbring.

Artstetten Castle
The Castle of Artstetten coin (obverse)

History

Artstetten Castle was owned by a number of families over the centuries until it was purchased in 1823 by Emperor Francis I of Austria.[1] In 1852, Archduke Franz Karl of Austria became the owner, then he gave it in 1861 to his third son, Archduke Karl Ludwig of Austria. In 1889, the property was given to Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria, who made extensive renovations to the castle.

Formerly used as a summer residence by members of the Habsburg dynasty, the castle is now the final resting place of Archduke Franz Ferdinand and his morganatic wife Sophie, Duchess of Hohenberg, who were assassinated in 1914. It also houses the Archduke Franz Ferdinand Museum.

The castle remains the private property of the Hohenberg family, and parts of the castle are open to the public for visits. After the death of Franz, Duke of Hohenberg in 1977, the property was deeded to his eldest child, Princess Anita of Hohenberg.[2] The Anita Hohenberg Trust was set up in 2003, and she and her family manage the property.

Coin

The castle was selected as a main motif for a high value euro collectors' coin, the Austrian 10 euro Castle of Artstetten commemorative coin, minted on 13 October 2004. The coin's obverse shows the castle of Artstetten standing above the Danube River on the threshold to the region of Wachau. The reverse shows the entrance to the crypt of the Hohenberg family. There are two portraits on the left, showing Archduke Franz Ferdinand and his wife, Sophie.

Burials
Sarcophagus of Franz Ferdinand, with his wife's sarcophagus on the right

Notable burials in the castle's crypt include:[3]

Literature
  • Stefan Haderer: Artstetten Castle: Residence and final resting place of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria-Este (1863-1914), Heir-Presumptive to the Austro-Hungarian Throne, Royalty Digest Quarterly, Vol. 1/2014, Rosvall Royal Books, Falköping 2014
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References
  1. Artstetten Castle history Archived June 9, 2016, at the Wayback Machine
  2. Schloss Artstetten - Proprietors Archived June 11, 2016, at the Wayback Machine
  3. Family crypt info Archived 2016-06-09 at the Wayback Machine


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