Habsburg Castle and the Habsburgs
According to legend (page in German), it is thanks to a hawk that there is a castle at the top of the Wülpelsberg near Brugg. A hawk that had previously flown away from its owner, Count Radbot, was found here.
It is said that Radbot built Habichtsburg Castle here around 1020, which was later renamed Habsburg and gave its name to the family dynasty. The first person to call himself Count of Habsburg was Otto II in 1108. The panoramic view from the Wülpelsberg near the moated castle (page in German) – where the Aare, Reuss and Limmat rivers meet – is outstanding.
Habsburg Castle was inhabited by the Habsburgs until around 1220–30, after which it was ceded to vassal nobles (page in German). In 1415, the Habsburgs lost Habsburg Castle without bloodshed during the Confederates’ conquest of Aargau.
The castle underwent numerous changes of ownership in the following centuries and its condition deteriorated increasingly. Since 1804, it has belonged to the canton of Aargau, which has carried out several renovations since then.
Traces of the Habsburgs today
What remains today is the rear castle (page in german), once inhabited by servants of the nobility, sections of the southern rampart, as well as the former castle courtyard (which is, of course, secured) and its earthen well, which once reached a depth of 58.5 meters. For the most part, the large residential tower and the palace, along with the surrounding wall and the inner courtyard, are still standing. Winters must have been very uncomfortable there, especially since such a gigantic building was difficult to heat.
Nevertheless, in its heyday, Habsburg was considered one of the most modern castles in Europe. It was equipped with the latest features, such as latrine pits, although the latrines did not have doors.
The Habsburg coat of arms still adorns the castle entrance today. The Habsburg dynasty clearly has fond memories of its former ancestral seat: in 1815, the first Austrian emperor, Franz I, visited Habsburg. And the son of the last imperial couple, Karl I and Zita, who died in 2011, the Member of the European Parliament Otto von Habsburg, was even a frequent guest at the castle.
Rudolph von Habsburg, Otto's brother, was the guest of honour at a ceremony (page in German) marking the 900th anniversary of the Habsburgs in Königsfelden in 2008. The ceremony was followed by a banquet at Habsburg Castle. Otto von Habsburg himself wrote at the time: "We are actually from Aargau".
On the Habsburg Royal Trail, a tour of the castle complex with six audio stations provides a wealth of information about the rise of the Habsburgs to world power. And if you wish, you can borrow special glasses free of charge at Habsburg Castle and take an exciting and very rewarding virtual flight over the once much larger, imposing castle. A word of advice: be sure to sit down before the flight so you don't get dizzy.
Habsburg Castle today
