Austria's most wonderful castle

• Open:ab Palmsonntag
  daily from 9:00 to 17:00
  May till September, daily from 8:00 to 18:00
• The entrance-fee is, 7,50 Euro for grown-ups; 6,50 Euro for groups of ten; 5,-- Euro for senior-travellers; 4,50 Euro for young people
  between 6 and 18 years; ------------ below 6 years; Familiy-Card 18,--Euro Elevator-ride 4,-- Euro per person (up and down).

  Tourist guides and bus drivers have free access and get a bon for free consumation in our fortress restaurant.

  Guided tours start constantly and are included in the entrance fee. Come

• and enjoy the romantic feeling of the middle ages and the beautiful view from our castle.

  Our castle restaurant sees to your culinary well-being.

P A S S E N G E R L I F T 5,-- Euro per person

It was first mentioned documentarily in 860. 1209 the Spanheims bestowed upon the family of Osterwitz
the hereditary office of the cup-bearer. The last cup-bearer of Osterwitz was caught in a Turkish invasion
and died in prison, without leaving descendants. Hochosterwitz goes back to the sovereign,
Emperor Frederic III. King Ferdinand I. pawned Osterwitz to the governor Christof Khevenhüller.
In 1570 Baron George Khevenhüller who equally was governor, acquired the citadel by purchase,
fortifying it against the menacing Turkish invasions, provided it with an armoury and hat the 14 gates built from 1570-1586.
Such a fortress-way, secured at so many sides, cannot only be counted among the greatest rarities, but does also represent
a unique thing in citadel- construction. An old document enumerates the names of each gate.

Since that time no essential changes have taken place in the building. The fortress has been up to our days continually
a property of the Khevenhüller. A disposal left by the builder George Khevenhüller dating from the year 1576 which can
be read on a marble plate in the yard, expresses the wish to keep the citadel in the possession of the descendants,
who should care for it. And this wish has always remained a holy legacy for the family Khevenhüller.

Fortress administration:
Hochosterwitz, A - 9314 Launsdorf, Telephone 0043 42 13 20 20 and 0043 42 13 20 10
Fax: 0043 42 13 20 20 16
e-mail: info@burg-hochosterwitz.at