Burgruine Dietrichstein

Castle ruins and chateau Dietrichsteinplatz are in Feldkirchen in a major traffic route above the Glantals in Carinthia, since the Middle Ages the part of a main artery, the so-called Venedigerstraße between Vienna and Venice figured. It is regarded as the headquarters of the major race of Dietrich stone, which eventually ascended to the imperial princes.

History

The first mention of the castle, after a ministeriales knight Dietrich, the supposed builder of the castle comes from 1103. Dietrich Steiner were originally ministeriales the Eppensteiner Dukes of Carinthia until in 1166 Bamberg acquired the castle and the nearby city of Feldkirchen. The bishops awarded the castle to a Ministerialengeschlecht, which took its name from the castle, but they did not possess.

In the coat of arms of the von Dietrich Stein was the sickle, a reference to winemaking in the Middle Ages in the area. The property was the assurance of the later castle market Feldkirchen and served to control the Glantalstraße. Dietrichsteinplatz was occupied by soldiers of the Hungarian king Matthias Corvinus, who was at war with the Bishop of Bamberg.

The castle was destroyed in 1483 during Turkish invasions.

In 1500, a castle was built at the foot of the castle, which came into the possession of the princes of Dietrichsteinplatz after several changes of ownership, and in 1840 remodeled in late Classicist style. The two storey building used since 1932 as a residential building of an agricultural holding.

The now ruinous castle perched on a rocky hillside above the Glantal. Parts of the Romanesque Beringe are preserved on the northern side to a height of about two meters. Furthermore, late Gothic masonry is visible on the east side. Until recently distinguished himself in the courtyard or from the floor plan of the keep and the cistern. On the southwest side of the rock falls steeply into the Glan valley, the north-east side is secured by two ramparts and three ditches.

On the estate there is the Dietrichsteiner lake.