Chateau La Veneria History
Excerpt from the book Valtice Legends and Rumors by Mrs. L. Rakovska:
La Veneria and Langendorf's spirit:
The Liechtensteins have always been great hunting enthusiasts, and for this purpose, a kennel was established behind the wall. The dogs were so well cared for that it is said that many Valtice subjects wished to be a prince's dog. The dog training was taken care of by a hundsmajor, who was subordinate to the commander of the princely guard. Hundsmajors also became noble families in the chateau. One day a poor earl named Langendorf allegedly became theirs.
The cellar of Veneria has always been filled with a number of kegs full of delicious wine. The count liked to taste wine liquor. That fateful evening, he visited the wine cellar again and tasted a few barrels. He liked the wine because he ate fish for dinner, and it is known that he needs to swim. He also knew that the next day he would have no hunt and would be able to sleep in peace. And so he tasted, enjoyed until you could say he took over a little.
He walked uncertainly to the press room, then stumbled up the stairs to his room. He collapsed on the bed and felt something push into his body. "And that's my sword, I have to unbuckle it." He unbuckled his sword and it lay beside his body. The Count immediately fell asleep hard. His last thought was, "I don't have to be on call every day, I have enough dogs here to protect me."
And as is often the case during wartime, there are a lot of skilled soldiers in the woods, looking for a livelihood. They easily raid some lonely cottage for food, but when nothing like that is at hand, sometimes they have to go to the castle grounds.
Just that night, a group of runaways moved around Valtice. At night, she broke into the mansion and, in the sleep of the dear Count Langendorf, stabbed one of the runaways with a sword. And how was that possible?
The count slept so hard that not even the barking of the dogs woke him. That was fatal for him. His own sword, which he had next to his body, became his murder weapon. The dogs barked as they passed, so the runaways took what they could and ran over the fence.
The dogs reached the hundsmajor's room and began to howl so desperately that the prince's guard soon ran. However, she could no longer help the count. It is said that none of the Valtice family slept that night.
The guard searched the area but did not catch the runaways. The count's body was then placed in a coffin and transported to the family tomb.
After a while, it was said that this terrible act had left a lasting mark on Veneria, that the spirit of Count Langendorf was appearing there. The kennel was gradually reduced and the dogs were eventually placed directly on the castle grounds. Servants from the castle moved into the building. Slowly, these people also moved out of Veneria, and the prince made the building available to young people.
After many years, it is said that the count's spirit began to reappear in the chateau. At first, he appeared to the lady of the house, but in time to all its permanent inhabitants. Everyone agrees that he appears in a cloak and fishing hat, it's cold, and when you address him, he disappears. It appears on all floors of the chateau, from the basement to the attic, but mainly in the right part of the house. He prefers to appear on the ground floor by the fireplace. And so Veneria quietly walks around the ghost of Count Langendorf looking for his killer.
Perhaps in time, he will also find his peace.