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Nuns Fight to Stay in Castle School They Called Home
28 Nov, 2025
Summary
- Three nuns returned to a historic castle school they once taught at.
- The castle has served as a convent and girls' school since 1877.
- The nuns were moved to a care home but chose to return to the castle.
Three nuns have made a determined return to Schloss Goldenstein, a historic castle that has operated as a convent and private girls' school since 1877. The school, which began accepting boys in 2017, remains functional, with nuns like Sister Bernadette, Sister Regina, and Sister Rita having dedicated many years to teaching there.
The community of nuns at the castle dwindled over time, leading to the building's takeover by the Archdiocese of Salzburg and Reicherberg Abbey in 2022. The nuns' community was officially dissolved at the start of 2024. Despite being granted lifelong residence rights, the remaining nuns were transferred to a Catholic care home in December 2023, a move they found unsatisfactory.
In early September 2025, with the help of former students, the three nuns moved back to Schloss Goldenstein, stating their strong resolve to remain. Sister Bernadette voiced her preference to "enter eternity" in a meadow over staying in the care home, highlighting their deep connection to the castle and their former lives there.
