Schloss Kogl

Experience the classic elegance of the Austrian aristocracy at the beautiful Schloss Kogl. Situated next to the picturesque village of St. Georgen im Attergau, the castle is nestled in Salzkammergut, the world-famous region of lakes and alpine ranges northeast of Salzburg. Schloss Kogl was originally completed around 1750 by the noble family Khevenhueller and has been owned by the Mayr-Melnhofs since 1872. The spirit is now kept alive by the fourth, fifth and sixth generations of the Mayr-Melnhof family who cherish this much loved, enchanting home.

The building of Schloss Kogl began in 1730 by Prince Khevenhueller, an aristocrat from Carinthia, southern Austria. His family sold the castle and estate to Andreas von Pausinger, a Viennese lawyer in 1810 and then in 1872 they sold the estate to Franz Mayr von Melnhof. The latter family had grown wealthy through the Styrian iron industry and had initially purchased the land for its forest. However, with the rise of coal, it was no longer necessary for them to cut down their forests reserves. Therefore, much of these remain on their property which is now the largest privately owned forest in Austria.

At the turn of the 20th century, the family undertook various improvement works and extensions to renovate tSchloss Kogl to modern standards. Crucially, however, the castle’s beautiful baroque style and details were carefully preserved and accentuated by commissions of wall paintings and other artwork by artists of the era, including scenes by Josef Engelhart, one of the founders of the Viennese Secession art movement. During World War I, the castle was used as a military hospital, the wounded soldiers tended to by the Countess.

When the Countess passed away in 1936 Kogl was bequeathed to the current owner, Friedrich Mayr-Melnhof. From then onwards, the castle has become the summer meeting point of his growing family, which still gathers there to this day. It is within this family atmosphere that the Mayr-Melnhofs welcome guests to their exceptional home for family reunions, official dinners and other events held in the reception rooms, all beautifully furnished in Biedermeier and fin-du-siécle style. Each room exudes exquisite charm and refinement and have been continual refurbishments.

Guests cherish the relaxed ambiance and spend hours reading books on a garden bench under the 300 year-old-linden tree, strolling through the beautiful park, exploring the surrounding countryside, savouring long summer afternoons at the nearby lake house, cuddling up by the fireplace in winter evenings or listening to gentle melodies played on the Grand Piano. You too can enjoy Austrian hospitality at its best by making yourself at home at Kogl.

Learn more about the fascinating history of the castle in this article.

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