Carl Junker, an Austrian architect, designed the castle in 1856 for Archduke Ferdinand Maximilian and Charlotte of Belgium. It was built from 1856 to 1860, though interior work continued until Maximilian left for Mexico in 1864. The style is eclectic, reflecting Maximilian's interest in Austrian, German and English styles.
Franz Hofmann and his son Julius handled furnishing and decoration. The ground floor has the couple's private rooms, including a bedroom and office modeled on the cabin and stern wardroom of the frigate Novara, and a library. The first floor has guest reception areas and the Throne Room. Stone Aztec-eagle motifs appear throughout the exterior.
Junker also planned the park, which covers 54 acres (22 hectares) in the English-garden model, and the stables, a complex 131 feet (40 m) square. The furnishings were returned from Vienna in 1925 and 1926 to reconstruct the original interior.
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