On the outskirts of the Austrian town of Amstetten, there are traces of settlements from the Stone, Bronze and Iron ages, ruins of an ancient Roman fort and sanctuaries of Jupiter, but nothing draws tourists to these lands as much as perfectly-preserved medieval Ulmerfeld Castle.

It was built in a place of an ancient fortress, mentions of which date back as far as the late 10th century. The castle had been remaining an official bishop residence from 14th to 19th century until the ancient fortress was sold to a private individual (whose name remains a mystery to this day). Only in the mid-20th century did Ulmerfeld Castle become Amstetten’s property and its massive doors opened to the public.

Despite numerous revolts, destructions and lootings that accompanied Amstettten throughout its history, the magnificent monument of medieval architecture has survived to this day in pristine condition. Inside there are still original frescoes and other murals of the 16-17th centuries. Antique furniture that dates back to the 19th century has also survived.

Today, the ancient Castle of Ulmerfeld is occupied by collections of the Amstetten Heritage Museum. The ground floors are decorated with genuine pieces of visual art. The castle’s halls frequently house temporary exhibitions with displays of rare paintings by masters of different time periods. The upper floors are occupied by cosy rooms of a small youth hostel, and the grand hall with columns can be rented for a wedding or any other celebration.

The main 23-metre tall watchtower hasn’t been overlooked as well. Today, it houses one of the best collections of medieval weaponry and knight armour in Austria, which has over 400 unique exhibits. Here one can see various weapons starting from the ancient Celtic period to rare items from the early 19th century like original chain mails that have protected their owners in fatal battles on numerous occasions.