Kottingbrunn: Castle, Park and Racetrack History

Kottingbrunn offers several ways to explore its history: the collections in the moated castle, the design of the castle park and traces of a former flat and steeplechase course. These themes lead from historic interiors to garden art and a clearly defined chapter in racing history. If you are planning a stay, you can weigh up different cultural interests for your trip.

Castle Museum and Layers of History

The castle museum’s collections cover the history of the castle, the racecourse, the Wiener Neustädter Canal, the airfield and Kottingbrunn’s economic development. They also include Roman finds, as well as collections on prehistory, fossils and minerals. The range of subjects thus extends from local and transport history to archaeological and natural history collections. If you are planning a visit, you can consider whether the castle’s history or the broader history of the town is of greater interest to you.

The castle museum is housed in the state rooms on the first floor of the moated castle. The oldest known structural remains of the moated castle date from the first half of the 13th century. Another historical layer is the castle chapel: it was built in the 1660s and partly furnished to a high standard by the Lamberg family. The finds and the chapel point to different phases in the castle’s history rather than reducing it to a single period of construction.

Castle Park: Garden Art and Old Plane Trees

The castle park is home to plane trees that are over 200 years old; in 1985, the park was declared a natural monument. Its design reflects Renaissance, Baroque and Romantic landscape garden styles. Different approaches to garden design thus come together here, while the old plane trees provide a distinct connection with nature. When choosing a focus, you can consider garden art, the tree population and historical traces in the park separately, rather than viewing it only as a backdrop to the castle’s history.

Traces of the Flat and Steeplechase Course

Ruins of the flat and steeplechase course have been preserved in the castle park. The racecourse was in operation from 1896 to 1914. The surviving ruins thus mark a historical trace, while the period of operation represents a chapter that has come to a close. For your exploration of Kottingbrunn, this racetrack history adds a distinct aspect of local history to the themes of the castle and garden.

A Regional Theme: Aviation

Another cultural highlight in the region is the Austrian Aviation Museum (AAM). It is housed in a hangar on the grounds of Bad Vöslau Airfield. Exhibits on display there include powered aircraft, gliders and an autogyro. Alongside the history of the castle, park and racetrack, this offers a distinct aviation theme. If you are particularly interested in aircraft types, this museum collection offers a different thematic perspective from Kottingbrunn’s attractions.

When planning your stay, you can choose according to your interests: the castle’s history and collections, garden art and old plane trees, or the history of the racecourse. The AAM adds a regional aviation theme to the selection.

Discover more destinations: Mayerling, Leobersdorf, Hernstein, Weissenbach an der Triesting, Schönau an der Triesting, Traiskirchen, Teesdorf, Oberwaltersdorf.

For the broader travel overview: Baden.