The first castle of the Middle Ages and one of the most important and impressive castles in Austria, Hochosterwitz Castle dates back to the 9th century. Calling Hochosterwitz Castle a castle would also be a very appropriate use of the term. Since it is built on a high hill, it can be seen from far away.
The castle took its present form in the 16th century and has not undergone any major changes since then. The castle gets its strong appearance from its fortification walls and 14 reinforced gates. Each of the gates has a name and all of them were built in the 16th century. Each one has its own traps. The gates’ abilities, such as hot oil pouring mechanisms, hidden cutting tools, fire nests, and the use of firearms were used in wars in the following centuries, so they could not be conquered. The features of the gates are posted in front of them in graphic diagrams.
In Hochosterwitz Castle, which you can see in a 1:25 scale in Minimundus, materials such as weapons, cannons, knights’ clothes, prehistoric artifacts and armor used in battles are exhibited. You can also see the 2.4-meter armor worn by Burghauptmann Schenk, the tall warrior of the period. You can also see bows and arrows and daggers used during the battles with the Turks. The rooms of the castle are decorated with portrait paintings of emperors, dukes and their descendants.
What are the entrance fee and visiting hours of Hochosterwitz Castle?
The entrance fee to Hochosterwitz Castle, which overlooks the lush Zollfeld plain, is €15 for adults. If you have a Karnten Card, you can enter for 13,50€. A really expensive entrance. During the summer, the castle can be visited between 09:00 – 18:00. Since this castle was the last point of our trip to Klagenfurt, we didn’t make it to the closing time, but at that price we wouldn’t have gotten in anyway.
Where is Hochosterwitz Castle and how to get there?
You can also use the cable car, which started operating in 1993, to get to the castle. Thanks to the cable car with its rail system, it is possible to go from the parking lot to the castle in 95 seconds. The funicular is preferred by the disabled and the elderly, but you can reach the entrance of the castle with a half-hour walk on a slightly inclined road. Walking is good for those who are not pressed for time, because the funicular costs 9€.
If you want to get there by public transportation, you need to take the S1 metro at Klagenfurt Hbf station and get off at the Launsdorf-Hochosterwitz Bahnhof stop. This journey takes 28 minutes. After getting off the subway, you have to walk about 2.5 km to reach the castle, which means about 40 minutes.
