Dürnstein castle ruins (Styria)
| Dürnstein castle ruins | ||
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| Alternative name (s): | castrum Dierenstein | |
| Creation time : | around 1100 to 1200 | |
| Castle type : | Höhenburg, rock spur location | |
| Conservation status: | ruin | |
| Construction: | Quarry stone masonry | |
| Place: | Dürnstein in Styria , municipality of Neumarkt in Styria | |
| Geographical location | 46 ° 59 '24 " N , 14 ° 23' 31" E | |
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The Dürnstein Castle is the ruin of a high medieval Spur castle at Dürnstein in Styria in the Murau district in Styria ( Austria ).
location
Dürnstein was built in a strategically good position on what was once Eppenstein land on the constantly changing state border between Styria and Carinthia . A ridge from the Alpl-Kogel towards the south-west narrows hard at the border with Carinthia and drops steeply towards the south, west and north to perpendicular to the Olsa valley, which narrows towards the north . You descend up to a hundred meters above the valley floor and on a rock spur you reach the Dürnstein border fortress, which was built in an ideally protected location and was once important.
The former so-called “Italian main street” ran beneath the ruins, and at this point the k. k. Border toll between Styria and Carinthia was set up.
history
In 1144 the castle was first mentioned as castrum Dierenstein . It was the seat of the Dürnstein family , which went out in 1192. After the Dürnsteiner died out, the castle came into the possession of the Wildoner ; whose branch sitting on Dürnstein named itself after the castle. Subsequently, the castle was acquired by the sovereigns in 1299 and remained in their possession until 1608. Around 1500 the castle received an aqueduct. The castle fell into disrepair from the end of the 16th century and was abandoned in 1610. In 1809 Austrian troops used the ruins as cover against the advancing French.
investment
Coming from the north, the entrance to the castle is preceded by a round tower with a pointed bulge, the lower part of which consists of quarry stone masonry reminiscent of ashlar masonry , which probably dates from the 13th century; thus the tower should be one of the oldest surviving parts of the castle. The wall of the causeway south west forms a kennel whose stock exemplary rubble masonry is largely attributed to the 14th century, but there are also sections of wall made of ashlar masonry, or opus spicatum that in the 12.-13. Century to be dated. Following the path to the south, after a bend to the west, you reach a rebuilt castle gate, which borders on the east wing in the north-south direction in the north. While the rubble stone masonry in the east wing refers to the time it was built, the upper floor looks almost modern. The rebuilt castle gate leads to a gate hall with a cross-cap vault that has been preserved in its original state . The west wing, which dates from the time of the tower, is located directly on the steep slope in the south-west; a row of closely spaced, 1.7 m high loopholes is located on the somewhat younger west wall. The spacious courtyard between the east and west wing is bounded in the north by a circular wall with elongated loopholes that run along the edge of the demolition. A connecting wing between the east and west wing, which was added later, closes the courtyard to the south.
literature
- Werner Murgg: Castle ruins of Styria - Find reports from Austria, material booklet B 2 ; Published by Ferdinand Berger & Sons Ges.mbH, 3580 Horn; Published by: BDA , ISSN 1993-1263
- Ebner Herwig: Styria - castles and palaces in the Ennstal and Murboden . Birken-Verlag, Vienna 1963
See also
Web links
- Entry via Dürnstein (Styria) to Burgen-Austria
