Burg Heidenreichstein

Heidenreichstein, Austria, Austria

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Burg Heidenreichstein is one of the largest and best‑preserved medieval moated castles in Lower Austria, located in the town of Heidenreichstein in the Waldviertel near the Czech border, often described as the most beautiful moated castle in Austria.

Its origins date to around 1160, when a massive keep (bergfried) about 40 meters high with four‑meter‑thick walls was built, and the main castle complex was finished in the late 12th century; the whole site is surrounded by a water moat and is entered today over two medieval drawbridges that have survived in largely original condition.

Remarkably, the castle was never successfully conquered, stormed, or seriously damaged in war, so its outer walls and much of its interior furnishings have remained intact for centuries, giving it a complete and authentic medieval appearance. Over its history the castle belonged to various noble families, including the Phhluk, the Palffys, the Van der Straten family (descended from Rudolf von der Straten, the first director of the Spanish Riding School after 1918).