Kaiser Maximilian I. in der Burg Wels

Wels, Upper Austria

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Castle GardenOver time, the castle garden has changed its original appearance, yet it still radiates a special beauty. With changing flower arrangements, it invites visitors to unwind and find peace. Additionally, the castle garden, together with the castle, is used as a setting for theater and concerts.Emperor MAXIMILIAN I (1459 – 1519)Emperor Maximilian, one of the most modern rulers of his time, spent little time in one place due to his political commitments and several wars. "The Last Knight" was in Wels much more often than his predecessors and successors. His close relationship with Wels had two reasons: the castle was in his possession, and the Polheim family, whose members Wolfgang and Martin were close friends and confidants of the emperor. On his many travels, Maximilian often came to Wels and endowed the city with various privileges. He initiated the reconstruction of Wels Castle and the expansion of the town hall. At the end of 1518, the terminally ill emperor came to our city for the last time. Emperor Maxi found that Wels was a good place to die. He traveled specifically from Augsburg via Innsbruck to Wels, where – severely weakened by numerous illnesses and a stroke – he spent his last month of life.Why Wels? Linz Castle, also in his possession, would have been far more spacious than the rather cramped and modest castle for an emperor. Historians believe superstition may have played a role. Maximilian's father Frederick III had died in Linz Castle.The room behind the magnificent bay window on the first floor of the south wing is presumed to be the death chamber. However, he did not want to die as a monarch, but as an ordinary man, and also wished for a simple burial. Regardless, shortly after his death, all his possessions in the castle disappeared. His courtiers are likely to have taken some of them. Ultimately, Maximilian even had to be buried with borrowed money. He died on January 12, 1519, in Wels Castle. His funeral procession became the largest social event (nobility, Archbishop of Salzburg, etc.) for centuries. He was buried in Wiener Neustadt.Castle Moat ParkingFischergasse, 4600 WelsSubject to charges