~ Burg Gudenau, 26.10.2024 ~

I wanted to visit Castle Gudenau, however I found nowhere close to park the car, so I drove to the nearby of Villip and made my way there on foot.

On the hill overlooking the castle stood a farmstead around an old windmill tower, now bereft of its wings. The path led downhill through a patch of forest, and past a few cows.

The entrance leads into a courtyard surrounded by connected auxiliary buildings: former stables and the like.

The castle proper is surrounded by a moat. Its medieval roots are still apparent in its layout, while the mixture of roof shapes and stone ornaments bear witness to later renovations

Crossing the bridge, one enters the paved courtyard, a fountain in the middle.

Across the other side of the moat is a Baroque garden. Unfortunately it was closed off, but even through the grates of the gate its tasteful, axial layout impressed.

I returned whence I came and walked around to see if there was another entrance. There was, but it was prohibited to enter, so I returned to Villip.

The local church was also closed, save for the entrance. Just like the castle, its structure was Gothic, but it had been extensively decorated during the Baroque period.