In this place, you will not find amazing architectural forms, original solutions from famous architects of different eras. This is not the charm of the Maria Loretto castle. Its main charm is its location.

It was built in 1652 on a small Peninsula near Klagenfurt, at the mouth of the Lendkanal. It was used as the summer residence of count Johann von Rosenberg. The architects built it in the Renaissance style, but the main focus was still on the surrounding nature.

Italian courtyards filled with picturesque lawns, numerous sculptures, paths leading down to the water through magnificent gardens. There Emperor Leopold I liked to walk. By the way, before his arrival there, to impress the monarch, the owners of Maria Loretto built a fleet of gondolas in the Venetian style. Monarch had the opportunity to sail them on the water surface of the lake Wörthersee.

It is sad to realize that in 1708 all this splendor was destroyed in a terrible fire. For a long time, the ruins of the castle were in the possession of the Orsini-Rosenberg family. But in 2002, the city authorities decided to buy it back and restore it.

Now it is a magnificent place in its simplicity. This is an interesting mix of modernity and history. Only ruins of the old castle, towers and stone lions on the sides of the garden steps remain. The only building that has survived is a two-story mansion of the 13th century with an additional mezzanine floor on the lakeside. There are wide steps from the house to the lake, buried in dense greenery.

Today a complete restoration of the vaulted chapel has been carried out, in which only small details remind of the glorious medieval past. There you can see icons and paintings of the XVII-XVIII century, fragments of the old altar and a statue of the Madonna of Loretto.

Today, this place is open to the public and awaits tourists from all over the world. There are cafes and baths. You can also walk in the park or taste wine from local cellars.