Bernstein Castle
the public
in 1604 besieged by the army of Stephen Bocskay.
Bernstein Castle (Hungarian: Borostyánkő vára) is a historical building in Bernstein im Burgenland, Austria, first mentioned in the 13th century.
History
In 860 the whole region was part of the archbishopric of Salzburg. Erimbert, a liege of the archbishopric, handed over the Pinka to one Jacobus. The village name Rettenbach was not mentioned yet, but the old Slavic name of the nearby hamlet Grodnau (meaning "the village belonging to the castle") is a sign of the existence of a nearby castle, identifiable with castle Bernstein. Bernstein Castle is 615 metres (2,018 ft) above sea level.[1]
Since 1199 the castle was part of Hungary. It is not exactly known when the castle was handed over to Frederick II, Duke of Austria, and how long it was his property; but in 1236 Béla IV of Hungary conquered the castle. Some years later (in 1260) he gave it to count Henry I Kőszegi.
In 1336 the counts of Güssing and Bernstein were defeated by the Hungarian King Charles Robert of Anjou, and the castle of Bernstein became part of the Hungarian Kingdom. In 1388 the castle was given to the Kanizsai family. In 1482 it became property of Matthias Corvinus of Hungary for a short time; in 1487 Hans von Königsberg received the castle from Emperor Frederick III.
In 1529 the Turks besieged the castle, but they were not able to capture it. Another unsuccessful siege by the Turks followed in 1532. On that occasion the ring of bastions was erected in order to change the castle into a refuge.
In 1604 castle Bernstein was unsuccessfully besieged for weeks by a combined army consisting of Hungarians, Turks, and Tatars under the leadership of Stephen Bocskay. Due to an explosion of the gunpowder storeroom, in 1617 Ludwig Königsberg ordered the rebuilding of the Gothic inner part of the castle in Baroque style. The keep and towers were eliminated. A short time later (1644) Ehrenreich Christoph Königsberg sold the sovereignty and the castle to Count Ádám Batthyány. In 1864 Gustav Batthyány sold the castle to his manciple Edward O'Egan, whose heirs finally sold the castle to Eduard von Almásy. His family currently owns the castle. In 1953 a part of the castle was turned into a hotel and restaurant.
- South view of the Bernstein Castle
- Inner gate of Bernstein Castle
- Outer courtyard of Bernstein Castle
References
- ^ "Bernstein Castle Altitude and Position". Archived from the original on 2022-05-01. Retrieved 2014-09-14.
External links
- Website of the Hotel Castle Bernstein with history and pictures of the interior
- Aerial photography gallery
- v
- t
- e
- Burgruine Aichelburg
- Klosterruine Arnoldstein
- Burgruine Dietrichstein
- Burgruine Falkenstein (Oberfalkenstein)
- Burg Falkenstein (Niederfalkenstein)
- Burgruine Feldsberg
- Burgruine Federaun
- Burgruine Finkenstein
- Burgruine Flaschberg
- Burg Freiberg
- Burg Geyersberg
- Burgruine Glanegg
- Burgruine Gmünd
- Burgruine Goldenstein
- Burgruine Gomarn
- Burgruine Gradenegg
- Burgruine Grafenstein
- Burgruine Greifenfels
- Burgruine Griffen
- Burgruine Groppenstein
- Burgruine Grünburg
- Burgruine Gurnitz
- Burg Haimburg
- Burgruine Hardegg
- Burgruine Hartneidstein
- Burgruine Himmelberg
- Burg Hochosterwitz
- Burgruine Hohenburg
- Burgruine Hohenburg auf Rosenberg
- Burgruine Hohenwart
- Schloss Hollenburg
- Burgruine Karlsberg
- Burgruine Kühnburg
- Burgruine Landskron
- Burgruine Lavant
- Burgruine Leobenegg
- Burgruine Leonstein
- Burgruine Lichtengraben/Painburg
- Burgruine Liemberg
- Burgruine Liebenfels
- Burg Mannsberg
- Burgruine Moosburg/Arnulfsfeste
- Burg Neudenstein
- Burgruine Nussberg
- Burgruine Ortenburg
- Burgruine Petersberg
- Burgruine Prägrad
- Burgruine Rabenstein
- Burgruine Ras
- Burgruine Rauchenkatsch
- Burgruine Rauterburg
- Burgruine Rechberg
- Burgruine Reifnitz
- Burgruine Reinegg
- Burgruine Reisberg
- Burgruine Rosegg
- Burgruine Rothenthurn
- Burgruine Rottenstein
- Burgruine Schaumburg
- Burgruine Silberberg
- Burg Sommeregg
- Burgruine Sonegg
- Burgruine Sternberg
- Burgruine Steuerberg
- Burg Straßburg
- Burgruine Straßfried
- Burgruine Taggenbrunn
- Burgruine Treffen
- Burgruine Twimberg
- Burgruine Waisenberg
- Burgruine Weidenburg
- Burgruine Weißenegg
- Burgruine Wullroß
- Burgruine Aggstein
- Burgruine Araburg
- Burgruine Dobra
- Burgruine Dürnstein
- Castle Falkenstein (Lower Austria)
- Franzensburg
- Burg Greifenstein
- Burg Grub
- Burg Hardegg
- Burg Hartenstein
- Burg Heidenreichstein
- Burgruine Kaja
- Burg Karlstein
- Burgruine Kollmitz
- Burg Kreuzenstein
- Burg Liechtenstein
- Burgruine Mödling
- Burg Neulengbach
- Burg Ottenstein
- Burg Perchtoldsdorf
- Burg Plankenstein
- Burg Persenbeug
- Burg Raabs an der Thaya
- Burg Rappottenstein
- Burgruine Rauheneck (Baden)
- Burgruine Rauhenstein
- Rosenburg
- Schallaburg
- Burg Scharfeneck
- Burg Seebenstein
- Burgruine Senftenberg
- Burgruine Starhemberg
- Schloss Walpersdorf
- Burg Wiener Neustadt
- Burg Alt-Teuffenbach
- Burg Baiersdorf
- Burg Deutschlandsberg
- Burg Dürnstein
- Schloss Eggenberg (Graz)
- Burg Ehrenfels (St. Radegund)
- Schloss Ehrenhausen
- Burgruine Eppenstein
- Schloss Feistritz / Ilz
- Burg Festenburg
- Burgruine Fohnsdorf
- Burg Forchtenstein
- Frauenburg (castle)
- Schloss Frondsberg
- Burgruine Gallenstein
- Schloss Gleichenberg
- Schloss Grosssölk
- Burg Grünfels
- Schloss Gutenberg
- Ruine Hauenstein
- Ruine Henneberg
- Schloss Herberstein
- Ruine Hohenwang
- Burg Kammerstein/ Ehrenfels
- Ruine Kalsberg
- Burg Kaisersberg
- Ruine Katsch
- Ruine Klingenstein /Salla
- Ruine Klöch
- Burg Krems
- Ruine Ligist
- Burg Neuberg
- Burg Neuhaus bei Stubenberg
- Ruine Neu-Leonroth
- Burg Lichtenegg
- Ruine Liechtenstein
- Ruine Neudeck
- Burg Oberkapfenberg
- Burg Obervoitsberg
- Ruine Offenburg
- Ruine Pernegg
- Ruine Pflindsberg
- Burgruine Pfannberg
- Burgruine Pikeroi
- Ruine Puxer-Loch
- Ruine Raabeck
- Schloss Rabenstein
- Burgruine Reifenstein
- Riegersburg Castle
- Burg Schachenstein
- Ruine Schmirnberg
- Schloss Seggau
- Burgruine Steinschloß
- Burgruine Sturmberg
- Burg Thalberg
- Burg Waldstein
- Burgruine Waxenegg
- Burgruine Wildon
- Burgruine Wolkenstein