Burgruine Rothenthurn

Rothenthurn, Austria, Austria

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Burgruine Rothenthurn (more accurately Schloss Rothenthurn, “Rothenthurn Castle”) is a historic castle and lodging establishment in the municipality of Spittal an der Drau in Carinthia, Austria, located on the southern slope of the Insberg above the settlement of Rothenthurn in the Olsach district.

The site probably originated as a “red tower” (roter Turm) from the 11th century, became documented as a castle in 1478 under the Meinhardiner lords of Gorizia, and was a Carinthian estate first of the Counts of Ortenburg, then of the Counts of Celje, and later of the Counts of Görz-Tirol, before passing to various noble owners such as the Khevenhüller, Eineter, Perscher, and Normann-Ehrenfels families.

The present Renaissance building with its chapel was mainly erected from the early 16th century onward, retains the medieval “Roter Turm” as its core, and today is owned by the Pereira-Arnstein family, who run it as a guesthouse and small hotel, making Rothenthurn a working castle rather than a classic ruin, though its name in some listings still refers to it as “Burgruine Rothenthurn”.