Old Castle Gmünd

Gmünd Castle, also known as the Old Castle, is a high medieval castle ruin high above Gmünd in Carinthia, Austria. The hilltop castle is located above the Lieser Valley on a hill. A path leads from the town to the castle.

The castle was probably built in 1252. The first mention of the old castle (Castrum) can be traced back to February 29, 1292. In the same year, Gmünd was first referred to as a city (Civitas). The town received city rights in 1346. The castle was expanded and fortified. It now served as a military base and as a protective castle for the population.

After a locust plague and a peasant uprising, the Hungarians besieged the city and the castle for seven years starting in 1480. Only with the use of heavy artillery did the Hungarians achieve a breakthrough: the city wall fell and the castle was destroyed. From 1502 to 1506, in the second construction phase, the castle was rebuilt and expanded by the Archbishop of Salzburg, Leonhard von Keutschach. The Salzburg peasants and miners besieged the castle in 1525, but it held out.

Count Rudolf von Raitenau, a brother of Archbishop Wolf Dietrich von Raitenau, had the west wing built in 1607 during a third construction phase. In 1609, an earthquake destroyed parts of the city. A corner of the castle collapsed. In 1886, a major fire destroyed the extensive castle complex. It was left to decay.

The municipality bought the site and the ruins in 1950. A citizens' initiative brought the castle back to life with theater performances, concerts, and readings. The tower was prepared as an observation tower. Since 1992, there has been a castle restaurant. Guided tours are offered for tourists.