Burg Riegersburg

The Riegersburg towers proud and mighty on the 482 meter high volcanic rock, from which it dominates the hilly landscape of Eastern Styria. In all the centuries of its existence, Riegersburg has never been able to be conquered. Nowadays the climb to the castle is much easier, but still an experience.

The first documentary mention of the Riegersburg dates back to the year 1138. Here the name "Ruotkerspurch" appears, which may have been derived from the then owner, Rüdiger von Hohenberg.

When the last of the Riegersburg-Wildonians died childless in 1249, the main castle passed to the powerful Kuenring-Dürnstein family.
Ulrich von Walsee-Graz bought the Riegersburg in 1299. It was owned by the Walseer of Styria until 1363, after which they were inherited from the Walsee-Enns line of Upper Austria. In the so-called "Feud of Walseer" in 1412, Duke Ernst the Iron managed to conquer the "Nieder Veste" and the main castle "Kronegg" capitulated. But only five years later, the Walsee got its castles back. Based on this experience, they may have built "Eselsteig" as a side staircase.

After an uncertain period with plague, famine and war incursions by the Ottomans and Magyars, the fortress came into the possession of Reinprecht von Reichenburg in 1479.

In 1637 the wealthy Baron of Radkersburg Seyfried von Wechsler became the owner of the Riegersburg.
Since he died childless, the Riegersburg passed to his sister, Baroness Elisabeth Katharina Wechsler, born around 1607.

After the Riegersburg Counts of Purgstall came out in 1817, the Riegersburgs passed to an inheritance of 17 people. In 1822 it was bought by Prince Johann von Liechtenstein in a public auction. The Riegersburg remained in the possession of the princely family of Liechtenstein, who saved it from imminent decay following its destruction in 1945.
Since 2009, Dr. Prince Emanuel von und zu Liechtenstein and his family have been trying to preserve the castle.

Inside the castle there are three museums: one on the legendary women of Riegersburg with the state rooms, another dedicated to the dark times of the trials at and one housed in the Riegersburg armory dedicated to weapons.

Riegersburg has always been a place of fun and celebration. . An engraving in the glass of a window in the knight's room from 1635 testifies to the debauchery of days gone by. Today, culinary delights are more in the foreground. A visit to the tavern is a must, where you can taste the castle wine and the homemade regional dishes. The castle is also perfect if you are looking for a special place for your party or event, with its spacious and atmospheric environments such as the White Room!

From sporty to action packed, everyone will find the right entertainment here. The raptors of Riegersburg are something very special and give their best during professional flight demonstrations, depending on the weather. If you want to be active yourself, you have numerous options. For example, conquering the Leopoldo ferrata, which stretched out on the volcanic rock. Creatives are in good hands in our castle's knife or blacksmith workshop.