History

The Althof is situated at the foot of the idyllic vineyards, under the famous wind mill, in the Retzer Land - an area of great natural beauty.

As a former castle strongly connected with the roots of the city, tradition and modernity merge - with a lot of love for detail!

Our adorable inner courtyards invite you to relax: Dream away an the hotel terrace surrounded by arcades or in the romantic castle courtyard.

The City Retz was founded 700 years ago. The founder was the Count of Thüringen Berthold von Rabenswalde, who was married to the Countess Wilbirgis. City was just what was Within th city walls.

Some settlements with parishes had already existed in the north of the city, before the city was actually founded. These old settlements have been called "Old Town Retz" for at least 500 years, although they weren´t really part of the city.

This settlement was a junction of two medieval paths. One, the "Rittsteig", came from Krems and forked in Znaim into the two directions Iglau and Brünn. The second one, the Thayatal path, stretched from the east over Raabs to Budweis.

The Counts from Hardegg, Otto and Konras von Plain, had already acquired the toll right at that junction before the city foundaton. Therefore a court free from all taxes was situated at that point. In order to guard and protect this court the Counts from Hardegg built a castle on the hill.

In 1425 the castle, just like the rest of the city, was destroyed by the Hussiten (Taboriten) people. One gate in the west was still recognisable in the ruins of the castle. This still visible gate is without doubt not in its original state anymore. It was probably destroyed by the Hussiten and reconstructed years later.

The old castle site was rebuilt into a farmyard (Meiereihof) in the 16th century. The remnants of the big tower have most likely formed the still existing round tower.

On the Northern side of the former inner city walls (on the same height as the reception) one can see a small spot of plaster. This spot dates back to the foundation of the castle. The plaster is a hint of the wealth of the Counts, who didn´t simply build an unplastered castle at the junction of the two mercantile paths.

After the city foundation the castle became the north western corner of the city fortification. For the south-western corner of the city fortification the counts founded the Dominican monastery including church. There used to be a farmyard where the castle is situated now (south-eastern corner of the city). This farmyard was rebuilt into a new castle in 1500 and the Althof, the former castle area, remained a farmyard.

The borough Retz purchased the Althof in the 1980s.

In 1989 the conversion of the Althof into the hotel started.

Since 1992 the Althof has functioned as a hotel - and it has also become part of the training centre of the Intercultural School of Hotel Management Retz.

Family Ipp leased the Hotel in 1997 and has been expanding it since!