Burg Heidenreichstein

The citadel Heidenreichstein is a moated castle in Heidenreichstein 17 km northeast of Gmund in Lower Austria. Similar to Burg Rappottenstein, Burg Heidenreichstein is a minstrel fortress. Like the Babenbergs, the burgrave Heidenreich von Gars strongly promoted the minnesong. In 1190 he began production of the castle.

The fortress needed to skip its first check in the 15th century, when followers of Jan Hus and rebellious peasants besieged it all through the Hussite Wars. They could not conquer the plant. Heidenreichstein turned into nearly three centuries, from 1679 to 1942, owned via the Hungarian noble family Palffy. Since the remaining Pálffy Prince Ladislaus become childless, he bequeathed the castle to his top buddy Rudolf van der Straten-Ponthoz. This he inherited his secondborn daughter Josephine. The citadel become exceeded on in 1961 via the Counts Van der Straten-Ponthoz in the inheritance on the Counts Kinsky and in part open to the public. The fortress Heidenreichstein is located on a rock head, which overlooks best a bit the surrounding location.