7 Medieval Castles Ruins near Vienna, Austria
Whenever you visit Vienna, make sure to spend some time exploring one of the many medieval castles that you'll find near Vienna - from castle ruins to renovated castles and even a tourist castle that was built on top of a ruin.
In this blog post, I'll show seven castle ruins near Vienna, that are worth a visit.
Medieval Castle Ruin Dürnstein
This is probably the most well-known castle ruin near Vienna. Have you never heard about it? But you may have heard about the English King Richard Lionheart, do you? (Hint: Robin Hood!).
Castle Ruin Dürnstein
As the legend goes, the English King Richard Lionheart was imprisoned here between 1192 and 1193. As Richard ripped the Austrian flag apart and denied to share the war booty of the third crusade with Leopold V., Richard was captured on his way back to England in a tavern located in today's third district of Vienna and brought to Castle Dürnstein.
After a one hour hike uphill, you'll be able to see and explore the remains of this medieval castle that was built between 1140 and 1145.
Medieval Castle Ruine Aggstein
The ruin of the 12th-century castle lies almost 1000 feet above the Danube on a small hill from which you get a stunning view over the Danube Valley.
Castle Ruin Aggstein
There are a lot of legends around these castle ruins. Allegedly, Hademar III from Kuenring used the location of the castle to seize ships on the Danube using a long chain made of steel.
Castle Hinterhaus
Another castle ruin that dates back to the 12th century is castle Hinterhaus.
Castle Ruin Hinterhaus
There's also a legend about this ruin. Allegedly, Adelheid, wife of "Heinrich des Eisernen" appears each year on the day that her husband died. And she does that because Heinrich married again before the year of mourning was over.
By the way, this photo is a good example for using leading lines in photography. The path works excellent as a line towards the castle.
Castle Plankenstein
Ever wanted to feel like a knight and sleep in a castle? You can - at castle Plankenstein (via booking.com), which is the third castle in this blog post that dates back to the 12th century.
Castle Ruin Plankenstein
Around 1975, the current owners started to rebuild the castle. It was sold 2010 to a Business Man from Vienna who installed modern sanitary equipment while keeping the main structure of the castle intact. I once spent a night there, and it's a really cool experience!
Castle Ruin Kollmitz
This ruin dates back to the 14th century, and it's located on a ledge right above the river Thaya. Because of the location high above the river, the castle was long seen as impregnable.
Castle Ruin Kollmitz
Ownership of the castle was passed along several times during the centuries until it was abandoned entirely in 1708.
Castle Ruin Schauenstein
Another castle ruin from the 12th century. The Swedes conquered it during the war of thirty years in Europe between 1618 and 1648.
Castle Ruin Schauenstein
Also, you can climb the castle tower and enjoy a stunning view from up there. And, if you do, say "hi" to the bats that you'll find at the top right under the roof.
Castle Kreuzenstein
And finally, here's a famous film location - Castle Kreuzenstein.
Castle Kreuzenstein
Just like castle Schauenstein, the original castle was destroyed during the war of 30 years. Beginning in the middle of the 19th century, the castle was being rebuilt to act as a museum for a vast collection of medieval props.
Some films were partially shot here, like "The Three Musketeers (1993)", "Season of the Witch (2011)" and the ABC reality show "The Quest (2014)".
Head over to the blog post about the Filming Location Castle Kreuzenstein in the blog to learn more.
