Bernstein Castle

Infobox Military Structure
name= Bernstein Castle
partof=
location= Burgenland, Austria
coordinates= coord|47|24|23.5|N|16|15|07.1|E|display=inline,title


caption=


caption2=
type= Castle
code=
built= around 860/ around 1199 [Depends on dating.]
builder=
materials=
height=
used=
demolished=
condition= major parts conserved
ownership= Almásy dynasty
open_to_public= yes
controlledby=
garrison=
current_commander=
commanders=
occupants=
battles= From 1529 to 1532 besieged by the Turks,
in 1604 besieged by the army of Stephen Bocskay.
events=

Bernstein Castle in Bernstein im Burgenland was first mentioned in the 13th century.

Location

High above the Tauchen valley, it is Burgenland's highest castle.

History

In 860 the whole region was part of the archbishopric of Salzburg. Erimbert, a liege of the archbishopric, handed the region located at the Pinka over to his servant "Miles" Jacobus. The village name Rettenbach was not mentioned yet, but the old Slavic name of the nearby hamlet Grodnau (= "the village belonging to the castle") is a sign of the existence of a nearby castle, which only could have been castle Bernstein.

Since 1199 the castle was part of Hungary. Miczbán de genere Akos was named as the owner. 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 II of Güssing. This noble dynasty descending from the counts of Wildon. (Styria) owned the country until 1308, when Iban II adopted the name "Count of Bernstein".

In 1336 the counts of Güssing and Bernstein were radically defeated by the Hungarian King Karl Robert von Anjou, the castle Bernstein became part of the Hungarian Kingdom. In 1388 the castle was pawned to the family Kanizsai. Nearly 100 years later (1482) the castle became property of Matthias Corvinus of Hungary for a short time. After a few years (1487) Hans von Königsberg (knights dynasty Königsberger) received the castle from Emperor Frederick III.

In 1529 the |Turks besieged the castle, but they were not able to capture it. Thereupon in 1532 another unsuccessful siege by the Turks followed. 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. In 1617 Ludwig Königsberg ordered the rebuilding of the Gothic inner part of the castle in Baroque style. The keep and towers were carried off. A short time later (1644) Ehrenreich Christoph Königsberg sold the sovereignty and the castle to Count Ádám Batthyány. Not until two hundred years later (1864) did Gustav Batthyány sell the castle to his manciple Edward O'Egan. O'Egan's heirs finally sold the castle to Eduard von Almásy. Even today the castle is the property of this noble family. In 1953 a part of the castle was changed into a comfortable hotel.

Construction

From 1529 to 1532 the ample building was besieged by the Turks. Because it resisted the sieges it was changed into a refuge. Due to an explosion of the gunpowder storeroom in 1617 the building was damaged and rebuilt in Baroque style. Worth seeing is the knight's hall from the first half of the 17th century with its gorgeous stucco ceiling.

In 2007 the castle was a hotel with restaurant. The alchemist's kitchen and the torture chamber from the 16th century with their exhibits of museum quality can be visited.

Notes

External links

[http://www.burgbernstein.at/ Website of the Hotel Castle Bernstein with history and pictures of the interior]