Burgruine Liemberg

Liebenfels, Austria, Austria

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Burgruine Liemberg is a ruined hill castle in Carinthia, Austria, located west of the settlement Liemberg in the municipality of Liebenfels on the steep slope of the Göseberg, overlooking the surrounding area.

The complex was built in the 12th century and consists mainly of a Romanesque round tower about nine metres in diameter, a well-preserved Gothic keep (Bergfried), and a great hall (Palas) that was later remodelled, forming a small but unusual mountain castle that has often been overlooked due to its modest size.

Below the main castle, an outwork built in rocky steps functioned as a farmstead (Keusche) and remained inhabited up to the 20th century, while the area around the castle was already used in prehistoric and Roman times; the earliest documented reference to Liemberg dates to 1167, and the castle reportedly suffered damage from the Friuli earthquake of 1348.

In the 16th century Liemberg was abandoned as a residence after its owners built the new Schloss Liemberg at the foot of the slope, and by around 1688 it was described as a deserted ruin, but today the site is freely accessible via a marked hiking trail from the church in Liebenfels and offers a scenic walk to a historic monument with atmospheric views over the valley.