Description of the attraction
The neat picturesque Reifnitz Castle is located a few kilometers from the town of the same name on the southern shore of Lake Wörthersee. It was built on a rocky ledge protruding into the lake in 1898 by Adolf Heinrich Bercht, later mayor of Klagenfurt. The castle is often called Villa Bercht after its first owner. The castle was built according to the project of the Hamburg architect Zenkowski. Since the construction of this palace, its appearance has undergone several alterations. For example, one of the back facades of the castle is now completely made of glass.
Some time ago, Reifnitz Castle was acquired by the famous resort Maria Wörth. The premises of the palace were adapted for various cultural events. Various art exhibitions were often held here, attracting hundreds of visitors. Finally, at the end of 2005, the city of Maria Werth sold the castle and the seven hectares of land surrounding it to Magna International, which manufactures car parts, for 6.4 million euros. And in this regard, a scandal erupted, which does not subside until now. Local residents were outraged by the artificially lowered price of the castle and land. For several years now, the local court has been hearing about the legality of this transaction. Magna International planned to transform Reifnitz Castle into a three-storey hotel complex, which will also include 14 freestanding sports facilities. However, these plans were not destined to come true. Currently, the castle was bought from his own company for 13, 55 million euros by Frank Stronach.
The best way to admire Reifnitz Castle is from the deck of a pleasure boat on Lake Wörthersee.
