Landskron Castle

Not far from the Austrian town of Villach lies the rocky Felskegel plateau, surrounded by forests. The magnificent Ossiacher Lake stretches at the foot. At an altitude of 135 m, like a royal crown, the plateau is crowned by the mighty and majestic medieval castle-fortress of Landskron. The Felskegel offers scenic views of the lake and the Carinthian valley.

Since 878, the lands belonged to the Alteting monastery. The monks received them as a gift from Carloman of Bavaria, who was the ruler at that time. This is mentioned in ancient documents. In 1028, Count Ozzi became the landowner. His name is associated with the beginning of the construction of the castle. At that turbulent time, the place for the construction of the fortress was more than successful – nature itself made it impregnable.

During its existence, the castle has changed its owners more than once. The name "Landskron" was given in 1351. All the new owners tried to change the appearance of the residence. The reason for the constant restorations were banal fires. The history of the castle has at least 4 of them. Thunderstorms often occur on the plateau, well-aimed lightning strikes caused grandiose fiery disasters. In 1542, after another fire, Landskron Castle was acquired by K. Khevenhuller, making it his permanent residence. By 1600, the owner had restored the estate. The castle, built in the Renaissance style, was gorgeous. A tall tower towered over the main 4-storey building. The area around the castle was surrounded by a double battlement with 7 towers. A well was dug inside the walls, which is 150 m deep. The luxurious building became the center of entertainment for socialites and the local nobility, who regularly gathered here for balls and endless festivities.

In 1639, the castle was bought by the Dietrichsteins. A fire in 1812 completely destroyed the roof. The destruction was so great that the owners left their residence. Landskron Castle was empty for a long time. In 1953, the long-suffering Landskron bought out H. Maresh. He partially restored the estate, and opened a restaurant with a huge outdoor area to attract tourists. The terrace offers magnificent views of the surrounding nature. The restaurant's menu features unique and traditional dishes of local cuisine.

A show of feathered predators is regularly held in the castle, which invariably arouses the interest of numerous tourists. Kites and eagle owls participate in it. eagles. You can only see the fascinating performance in the summer. There is a small zoo attached to the castle, which is inhabited by more than 25 species of birds, most of them predatory. Predators can fly freely over the castle grounds. They are accustomed to return to their place after their aerial walks.