Dürnstein Castle in Wachau, Austria

Dürnstein Castle in Wachau, Austria. Photo: planola/Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 3.0)

Dürnstein Castle was erected in the early 12th century at the behest of Hadmar I of Kuenring, a ministerialis in the service of Margrave Leopold III of Austria, on the estates his ancestor Azzo of Gobatsburg had acquired from Tegernsee Abbey in the late 11th century.

The castle is known for being one of the places where King Richard I of England, returning from the Third Crusade, was imprisoned after being captured near Vienna by Duke Leopold V of Austria, from December 1192 until his extradition to Emperor Henry VI in March 1193.

In 1635, toward the end of the Thirty Years' War, the Swedes captured the castle and later destroyed the outer gate. After serving as a refuge during the Austro-Turkish War a couple decades later, it was ultimately abandoned and fell into disrepair.

Dürnstein Castle. Photo: Henry Kellner/Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0 at)

In 1663, Conrad Balthasar of Starhemberg purchased the castle, which is still owned by his heirs to this date. Today, the fortress is part of the "Wachau Cultural Landscape" UNESCO World Heritage Site. (Wikivoyage, Wikipedia)

Dürnstein Castle. Photo: Joadl/Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0)

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