Gradenegg Castle (Burgruine Gradenegg)

Location: Carinthia

 

Gradenegg Castle is a medieval citadel in Carinthia state of Austria. It sits on top of strategic hill that measures at 300 meters above a small town of Glantalboden below.

 

Building description

The core of the complex is a massive Romanesque keep, around which some farm buildings from the 14th/15th group century. To the west, separated from the business complex, is the three-storey Palas. The building, which originally came from the first construction phase, was extensively remodeled and extended in the 16th century and fitted with marble window and door walls. The castle is surrounded by a ring wall from the 15th century. In the northeast corner of this enclosure is a small corner tower. The castle was also accessed from the north side, where it is protected by a substantial moat.

 

History
The first documented mention was on May 27, 1192, attested by Rudlandus de Gradnich as Ministeriale of the Carinthian Duke. He belonged to the Lords of Gradenegg, who showed the last representative of this family on the property in 1436 with Reinprecht von Gradenegg.

The Carinthian historian Franz Xaver Kohla reports that in 1787 Roman copper and silver coins were found near or in the castle. Kohla also mentions old mines.

The castle was severely damaged by the severe earthquake in 1796 and soon afterwards was only used as stables and farm buildings. A drawing by the artist Markus Pernhart, which has since disappeared, shows that the castle still had all its roofs around 1870, but was already in a state of decay.