Schloss Kaps

Schloss Kaps in Kitzbühel, Austria, is a castle complex that took shape around the turn of the 16th century. Its principal building grew from a long‑established rural estate first recorded in the 14th century into a noble residence that was repeatedly altered to suit changing ownership and status; over time it became associated with regional noble families and was later adapted for hospitality and cultural uses, reflecting its continuing local role.

The place known as Kaps appears in documents from the 1300s as an estate, indicating occupation and landholding on the site in the late medieval era. The standing castle structure was probably constructed in the 1500s and first appears in written records in 1615, by which time it formed a recognizable manorial complex within the Tyrolean landscape.

In 1627 the property passed into the hands of the Counts Wolkenstein‑Trostburg. Five decades later, in 1679, the Counts Lamberg acquired the estate. The Lamberg owners carried out remodelling in 1682, and in the later 17th century the rectangular core of the building was enlarged with projecting, tower‑like additions that altered its silhouette and internal arrangement.

The late 19th century brought further expansion. In 1880–81 a paired structure known as “Maps” was erected and linked to the main house by a covered corridor, and a service building for estate operations was built at the same time. Between about 1881 and 1885 a separate neo‑Gothic chapel was established on the grounds and consecrated to Saint Anne; an earlier altar dating from 1580 was installed within that chapel.

In the early decades of the 20th century Schloss Kaps was used as a guesthouse, marking a shift from private noble residence to accommodation. In the early 21st century the estate’s setting changed again when, in 2005, a hotel opened nearby and a golf course was laid out on adjacent land. The site has also served as a venue for filmed events and broadcasts: portions of a 1966 television documentary about Romy were shot around the castle, a 2018 television program titled “Schlager, Stars & Sterne – The Castle Party in Austria” was recorded there, a 2025 concert series called “Classics in the Alps” featuring Elīna Garanča took place at the site, and the Romy awards ceremony of 28 November 2025 was held at Schloss Kaps rather than its former location in the Vienna Hofburg.