Grimmenstein Castle
Grimmenstein Castle is a partially restored hilltop castle in southern Lower Austria. The castle is a listed building (listed entry).
Geography
The castle is located in the Pittental valley on the south-eastern slope of the Kulmriegel in the market town of Grimmenstein at an altitude of 660 metres above sea level and around 100 metres below the Kulmriegel summit on a rocky outcrop. It is one of three former fortifications on the Kulmriegel, which dominates the Pittental valley. Like the other two fortifications, it was left to decay due to the roof tax and was largely dismantled for building materials. In the 1960s, it was repaired and partially rebuilt in the neo-Romantic style[1] using the walls that still remained as ruins. After further deterioration, the new owner, Markus Albero Grimmenstein, has been restoring the complex since July 2014, 90% of the work being carried out on his own initiative without public funds or subsidies, and it has been open to the public since April 2016.
Name
Since the 19th century, the castle has sometimes been called Vordergrimmenstein, while the former castle on the summit of the 758-metre-high Kulmriegel was also known as Hochgrimmenstein Castle and a former castle southwest of the Kulmriegel at the end of the Kunzgraben was called Hintergrimmenstein. These names are not found in any old documents, but rather the names Grimmenstein (‘Vordergrimmenstein’), Windberg (“Hochgrimmenstein”) and Künberg (‘Hintergrimmenstein’).
Wikipedia
