Hochosterwitz Castle
AustriaBundesdenkmalamt
Carinthia
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Description
Situated on a rock fan high above the plane below, the castle is not only a landmark of Carinthia but also one of the most imposing medieval castles in Austria due to its topographical location and its kind of structure. Moreover it can be regarded as the model of a medieval castle. A specific feature is the access way to the castle passing through a total of 14 gates, which are particularly prominent owing to the castle's situation in the landscape. The castle mountain has been lived on since the Bronze Age. since 1571,the castle has been in the hands of the same family, in 1586 it received today's shape and appearance. Hochosterwitz is also a historic document of Protestant rule in Carinthia, which lasted till the Counter-Reformation.