History part 1
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From its beginnings to the Middle Ages

From battling Hartnidus to the peasant’s onslaught

As one of the oldest buildings in the Salzkammergut, Ort Castle is first documented in the 11th century. As you can see on the woodcut from 1594, it is built as a simple but solid lake castle, and already features the arcades in the inner courtyard. At this time Ort Castle is rendered virtually impenetrable by an encircling stockade of wooden poles driven into the lake bed.

Until 1244 the knights of Ort are in charge; after a period of changing masters Ort falls to Hapsburg emperor Frederick III as feudal tenure in 1483. In 1595 it is bought by the town of Gmunden, which has become wealthy through the salt trade. The district court comes with it, along with horrendous maintenance costs.

After only eight years, in 1603, Gmunden has no choice but to sell the estate back to the Hapsburgs. A few years later they in turn release Upper Austria, Ort included, as a pawn to Bavaria. The merciless rule of the appointed governor, Count Adam Herberstorff, drives the Upper Austrian peasants to revolt. On May 28th, 1626 the peasants take control of Gmunden before plundering and pillaging Castle Ort. Only the incipient rain prevents the structure from burning down to the ground.

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