Burg Rappottenstein

Burg Rappottenstein
Around 1150, Rapoto von Kuenring founded a number of castles in the Waldviertel to secure the possession of the Kuenringers, whose most powerful was Rappottenstein.

The castle Rappottenstein was from the very beginning of great importance. On the one hand, it was in the middle of the extended possessions of the Kuenringers - it was thus a stable center in a turbulent time. On the other hand, however, it also protected the Griessteig, an ancient side branch of the Beheimsteiges that can still be found today in the municipal area, which led from the Danube through the northern forest to the Bohemian countryside. In addition, the castle Rappottenstein was one of the strongest links in that formed on the course of the Kamp chain of fortifications, which had the task of protecting the country against invasions of the Bohemians and thus to grant the Babenbergermark flank protection.

After the fall of the Kuenringer the castle came in 1305 to the Lords of Dachsberg, 1423 to the Starhemberg family and 1546 to the Lords of Landau. Insurgent peasants besieged the castle in 1597, but they could not take it. Swedish troops besieged the castle in vain in 1645. [2]

Finally, the castle came in 1664 by purchase to the present owners, the Counts Abensperg - Traun, whose present possessions are around Rappottenstein, Wolkersdorf, Maissau, in the Weinviertel, in the Waldviertel and in the industrial district, with especially Maissau and Petronell are mentioned.

main gate

secondary gate

the massive walls

inner courtyard

inner courtyard

lower levels

upper levels

kitchen

castle walkways

upper inner courtyard

an antique lamp

Antique spinning wheel

weapons room

antique closet

hunting trophies

upper inner gardens

wood walkways

not sure what this old tool was, maybe to separate wheat

old horse drawn carriage

the wood details fascinate me, beautiful

secondary gate

a view toward the exit main gate
this shows how the castle is built ontop of solid rock

the outside view of Rappottenstein

and finally a fountain carved out of solid rock, called Steintröge in German

I hope you enjoyed my tour of the Burg Rappottenstein with the many pictures.

As source information I used wikipedia.