Seeschloss Ort in Gmunden on Lake Traunsee
Many of you will remember the Seeschloss Ort in Gmunden in Salzkammergut from the television series "Schlosshotel Orth." Only, there is no castle hotel. Instead, the castle is worth seeing and beautifully situated in the Traunsee in Upper Austria in front of Gmunden open to visitors who want to look around the historic building. Wedding couples can say yes in a special room. And there is a restaurant where you can eat topped in historic rooms. Christoph Parzer, head chef of the Orther Stub'n, cooked himself a Gault Millau toque at the age of 25, and the food is so good that the second one is certainly not long in coming. Why do we recommend a visit to the Seeschloss Ort? Here are our reasons:
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The beautiful location of the castle on an island in the Traunsee
The Seeschloss Ort is located on an island in the Traunsee, which can be reached via a long wooden bridge. The castle complex occupies almost the entire island area. Only a narrow path leads to the back of the castle, which offers beautiful views under weeping willows out to the lake. We're here on a balmy winter's day in January, but I can well imagine how comfortable it is here in spring and summer.
The small museum in Seeschloss Ort in Gmunden
Visitors can learn about the castle's history and the legends surrounding it in the castle's small museum. I particularly liked the legend of the giant from the surrounding mountains who fell in love with a local human girl. Being a giant wasn't easy in this case, because he was too big to fit in a house with his beloved. And so he built her the castle on the island in the lake. Only, when it was finished, he was still too big.
And then he was given the chance to take on human form. But as is always the case with such legends, there's a catch: He was only granted this for one year. He spent that year, full of happiness, together with his beloved in Ort Castle. In the end, however, his beloved fell seriously ill and died. And so he transformed back into his giant form and retreated to the mountains, where he may still live today.
Excellent food in a historic ambience in the Orther Stub'n
The best thing about Seeschloss Ort, however, is the Orther Stub'n, a gourmet restaurant where Christoph Parzer chef is the chef. We were lucky to be there on New Year's Day, which fell on a Monday this time. Mondays are normally closed. However, because it was a holiday, we were able to enjoy Parzer's culinary art.
My braised veal cheek in port wine and pearl onion sauce with creamy parsnip puree and glazed vegetables melted in my mouth. And Petar's pan-fried char with parsley potatoes and leaf salad was a dream.
The whole thing was served in a historic setting in a large hall with a massive dark wooden ceiling. With its antiques and oil paintings, it reminded me of a knight's hall. The creaking wooden floorboards across which we walked to our table reinforced this impression. Anyone looking for a stylish and unique restaurant with excellent food during their stay on Lake Traunsee is definitely in good hands at the Orther Stub'n.
Austria
More things to know
- Traunsee, Austria – vacation in the Salzkammergut
- The most beautiful Perchten caps
- Blockheide Gmünd: a hike in the Waldviertel
- Weinberg Hotel in Wurzburg
Source: Seeschloss Ort in Gmunden: own on-site research. Our opinions remain our own.
Text Seeschloss Ort in Gmunden: © Copyright Monika Fuchs and TravelWorldOnline
Photos: © Copyright Monika Fuchs and TravelWorldOnline
Video: © Copyright Petar Fuchs and TravelWorldOnline
What a sad legend! :-( The castle is really beautiful and I particularly like the atmosphere in the knight's hall.Also as a wedding location, the castle is a dream ...
Kind regards
Sabine
The castle place is something special. We liked the little museum. The most beautiful was the short tour on the island. We had the island almost to ourselves and could enjoy the views of the lake - a great experience on a windless winter day with plenty of sun.