Austria’s unforgettable castle

Late one afternoon a taxi driver, who rightly sensed my interest in historic and fascinating places, mentioned that there is a church castle somewhere near Vomperberg, and argued that it is worth visiting. It is a church and a significant part of it is also a castle.I instantly went with him, alongside Mr Kunle Osho […]

Late one afternoon a taxi driver, who rightly sensed my interest in historic and fascinating places, mentioned that there is a church castle somewhere near Vomperberg, and argued that it is worth visiting. It is a church and a significant part of it is also a castle.I instantly went with him, alongside Mr Kunle Osho of Nigeria’s Central Bank. We had earlier been driven round Schwaz to view some interesting places. In this quiet part of Austria, there are nice small roads, which make any drive, however brief and at whatever time of night or day, a  great  delight. Of course, there are  countless taxis all over the country to facilitate this movement. I never saw or entered a  poorly kept taxi throughout my stay. Neither did I meet any ill mannered driver. The memory of this is so vivid, I find myself occasionally reviving this mental picture from time to time. There  is a lot of greenery on both sides of the winding road. There are little sign boards directing you to the right place, as an eternal guide. You simply cannot get lost in this country, and if there is a difficulty you will surely be helped. Very soon we were walking up the  brief slope which leads to the Castle. We were both excited, especially me, because this was my first time of entering a castle anywhere in Austria, and I had never visited one previously either in the country, or in Europe. Of course, I have entered many great palaces in Nigeria, and, lately, in Niger Republic. The white stone walls of the Castle loomed and seemed to draw closer as we approached. I began to wonder how such a huge edifice might have been constructed, especially at a time when modern forms of machinery for construction were nonexistent. One lovely thing about this castle is that it sits on a hill, and has a commanding view of the nearby Inn-Valley and the Tyrolean mountains, which lie just across. The view is a very beautiful and inspiring sight. There  are benches made of stone on one side of the castle, and some visitors and tourists sit at a corner enjoying  snacks and drinks, taking in the good early summer sunshine, as well as having a  look at the  haunting valley opposite. The  entire area which hugs the castle is very green and scenic.
Freundsberg Castle  itself is a thrilling  place,and it was originally the ancestral seat of the Freundsberg Lords who were first mentioned in historical documents in the year 1122. Freundsberg, a  booklet made available by the staff at the castle ,indicates that in the year 1230, a new castle was built on the ancient remains of the earlier castle. The book  also mentions that it was Sigmund der Munzreiche who had the castle expanded into a hunting seat between the years 1472 and 1475. Major changes on the castle buildings took place around 1630, when the palace and the chapel were renovated  and turned into a new Renaissance style castle church. Later, King Ludwig of Bavaria gave Freundsberg castle to the township of Schwaz as a present, indicates the publication. The interior of the castle is quite enchanting too. It  has a total of four floors, and there is a flight of stairs, which is largely wooden, that  take you from one floor to the next. At the summit you can peep at the valley beneath, from a  window which has been conveniently built up there.
According to Freundsberg, the second floor of the Tower houses not only an exhibition of old rustic furniture from the area around Schwaz,but also displays memorabilia of the Schwaz marksmen company. The third floor offers insights into the economic development of Schwaz dating from the Middle Ages to the present time. Old wrought iron works, beautifully restored guild symbols and signs, and a collection of old inn signs from Schwaz commemorate times from long ago, the visitor is instucted. The ante chamber on the fifth floor contains a display of weapons from the 16th, 17th and 18th centuries, then the visitor enters the  kitchen and drinking parlour of the old living quarters. ‘The parlour offers the visitors a fantastic  and also dizzying view of Schwaz and its surrounding area’, states the publication. The Knights Hall is one very remarkable part of the Castle. This hall has been artistically decorated following old standards of design and construction. It is said that today ancient rituals of Knights are still held in the Knights Hall. A statue of an early Knight stands in a little corner of the famous hall, seemingly watching over the deeds of the moderns. Then there is a long magnificent table which stretches across the length of the room. The memory of this visit to the Austrian castle, my first ever visit to a castle, will remain with me for many years to come.