Hagenberg Castle rises on elevated ground in Fallbach, in the Weinviertel region between Mistelbach and Laa an der Thaya, just one hour from Vienna and near the Austrian-Czech border. First documented in 1264 as a castrum Hackenberg, the castle was converted into a Renaissance structure in 1543 by Christoph Kuenritz. Devastated during the Thirty Years' War in 1620, it remained in ruins until Sigmund Friedrich von Sinzendorf restored it in 1650. In 1959, artists from the Vienna Group, including renowned Friedensreich Hundertwasser, moved in, inspiring a remarkable restoration project in the late 20th century that successfully integrated contemporary design with historical architecture, earning the Architecture Award of Upper Austria in 1988.
