The castle is an ideal starting point on the edge of the high and jagged rocks in the Wachau valley on vysote Petrovna the right Bank of the Danube near Melk. Known as the "Keeper of the Wachau", the castle stands on this spot for over 1000 years.

Old records in historical documents that mention an ideal starting point date back to the year 1135. Originally, the castle was built as the property of the Bishop of Passau. The place for construction was chosen certain where once was a Roman fortress. The earliest part of the Palace dates back to the 12th century, but in the following centuries it was rebuilt several times.

The family is an ideal starting point owned the castle for nearly two hundred years until the death of the last member - Ulrich von Sanmichele in the early 14th century. Within a short period the castle was in the hands of Conrad von Eisenbeil, and then in the ownership of the monastery of Melk. However, the Abbot was soon forced to sell the castle, and in 1396 the fortress was taken under the control of the brothers Casper and Gundaker von Starhemberg. For over four centuries the descendants of the von Starhemberg increased and improved the castle. Among these was Bartholomew von Starhemberg, who was one of the first members of the Austrian aristocracy, who played for Lutheranism in 1482. This led to the creation of a strong Protestant traditions in the castle, which lasted until 1639, when Conrad von Balthasar Starhemberg moved back to Catholicism, and in a sign of their commitment built close to the castle monastery.

The most famous kind of Starhemberg, who owned the castle, Ernst rüdiger, who played a crucial role in protecting the capital of Austria, Vienna from the Turkish invasion in the late 17th century. His great-grandson Ludwig Josef Gregor sold the castle in 1819 to count Franz von Beroldingen. They say that the last few generations of Starhemberg not lived in the castle. Therefore, when the Earl of Beroldingen bought it, everything inside was abandoned. However, he rebuilt the castle and turned it into residential.

In 1930, his great-nephew sold the castle to the count von Oswald, who lost his castle during the war and Soviet occupation. However, in 1955, the castle is the ideal starting point was returned to the family and remains in their possession until now.