He glopper castle (also known as Neu-Ems Castle), is a very well preserved medieval Austrian fortress. With its robust stone facades and a watchtower, preserves noble details in every corner. It is currently owned by the Counts of Waldburg-Zeil-Hohenems who have maintained the castle’s legacy through generations, preserving its history and charm.
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© Dietmar WalserA privileged watchtower of the Rhine Valley
Located 650 meters above sea level and surrounded by forest, this castle is located in the west of Austrianext to the border with Switzerland and just 15 minutes by car from Lake Costanza. From the Glopper, in addition, there are some exceptional views of Switzerland, Liechtenstein and Germany.
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© Glopper CastleA rich history
The origins of the old fortress located in a mountainous environment date back to the 14th century, when Emperor Louis the Bavarian granted permission to Ulrich of Ems to build the castle. However, after a siege by the Swiss army, its reconstruction was necessary and the structure has been modified over the centuries. For example, a chapel ended up being added.
Its last renovation was carried out between 2016 and 2017.structuring bedrooms in suite for your rent. “We spend many weekends at the castle, but we have also decided to rent rooms,” explains Stephanie zu Waldburg-Zeil. The family of this aristocrat is the owner of the medieval building and the grounds since its construction, in 1343.
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© Glopper CastleA very robust architecture
The castle was built mainly with limestone and stone masonry. These materials were typical of the time and the region, as they offered durability and resistance. They were also used wood and mortar in certain sections, especially in the internal structures and roofs. The recent restoration It has been very respectful of the original style.
Regarding the architecture, it stands out that the fortress is of moderate height, with a central tower (designed with surveillance functions) that amounts to approximately some 20 meters on the base. The style of its original structure is Romanesque, although some renovations introduced Gothic elements in the windows and decorations. As was usual in this type of defense buildings, the façade opens little and with small windows.
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© Glopper CastleVarious rooms
We are seeing the lounge main room, which has a room to receive visitors and another more private room to enjoy family moments, although the castle has some suites complete that also include, as an anteroom, a private room, as we will see.
In this environment, the wood-covered ceilings, the beams and the thick façade reveal the rich history of the home.while the decoration is modern in stylebetting on functional furniture with simple lines.
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© Glopper CastleA beautiful bookstore
This day area also includes the dining roomwith a lunch table combined with modern aesthetic chairs. The corner is surrounded by two bookstores whose warm lighting offers magic to the atmosphere.
A cozy atmosphere ideal during all times of the year, but especially in the cold winters when outside temperatures can reach 5º C below zero. In any case, the heating (by radiators or infrared, in the case of the bathrooms and chapel) offers a good thermal comfort.
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© Glopper CastleThe titular counts of the castle
This is the bar areawhich is organized behind the peninsula module with bar. We are looking at the current owners of the castle, the counts Franz-Clemens Waldburg-Zeil and Stephanie Waldburg-Zeil (née Countess von Blanckenstein). The couple owner of this property He has four daughters: Tatjana, Cecilia, Leonie and Sophie and also a granddaughter, Philippa.
It shows how well-connected Franz-Clemens and Stephanie are that at the same time wedding of his firstbornheld in 2021, was attended by illustrious guests, such as members of European royalty.
Another story (which is for another report) is the home of the owners, Hohenems Palace, a beautiful Renaissance building that is located just 5 minutes by car from the castle.
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© Glopper CastleInvitation to the activity
The proposals for the Austrian region of Vorarlberg in which this residence is located are many and varied, such as hiking, visiting the beautiful nearby towns (some also with castles or palaces) or, in winter, practicing cross-country skiing or ride a sleigh If you still want to stay at the castle, there are options to avoid being simply idle, such as play billiards.
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© Glopper CastleA bucolic room
The one called as suite ‘Jäger’ includes the bedrooma living room and the bathroom. In the rest area there is great prominence to textiles, with a bewitching floral designwhich is used for both bedding and curtains. Nature is also the reason for paintings that decorate the walls.
The console is an antique and the man at night is a modern piece, but with a retro spirit, since it has fallen into disuse in today’s homes.
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© Glopper CastleA very practical bathroom
This bathroom of the suite has been updated to offer all the comforts: the taps are built-in, also the toilet cistern and, in addition to the bathtub, a shower tray and a towel radiator.
In such an up-to-date space, it falls in love and contrasts artisanal floormade with clay tiles from the 19th century.
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© Glopper CastleVery personal details
This suite has a office corner to which very special care has been given. Look at him trompe l’oeil painted on the arch, in the upper area the names of the four daughters are written and the date on which the last reform ended has also been added.
In this space there are many charming details, such as the work implement, the lantern-type wall light, the wall decoration with a family of birds or the vase that recovers an old vessel.
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© Glopper CastleThe warmth of wood
On an upper floor of the main living room, we find the suite ‘Emser’, one of the most exclusive rooms in Glopper Castledecorated with an elegant and cozy that reflects the historical and noble style of the fortress. Its walls are covered with dark wood panels, which provide a warm and refined touch. These panels have rich hand-carved ornamentation.
To reduce the weight of the deep tone of the wood, light textiles are used, such as carpet in a sandy tone and bedding in neutral ranges.
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© Glopper CastleKitchen and daily dining room
The suite ‘Emser’ also has a kitchen private, an environment with white furniture and gray granite countertops that opens to office using wide wooden panels, which also serve as displays for pots, containers and even decorative figures (we see a family of ants in the left corner).
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© Glopper CastlePast and present go hand in hand
We finish the visit to Glopper Castle showing this door with the coat of arms of the house of Habsburg. One more sign that together, this fortress offers a classic luxury experience, which does not lose for a moment the authenticity of a historic castle.