Landsee Mountains Nature Park in Burgenland

In the heart of the Landsee Mountains Nature Park (Landseer Berge Naturpark) lie the ruins of a large and ancient castle from the 12th century. The castle served as a fortified stronghold of the Esterházy family and, in terms of area, is one of the largest of its kind in Europe.

In the 18th century, a fire broke out in the Landsee Castle complex, destroying large parts of it and ultimately leading to its abandonment. Today, it serves as a popular site as part of a nature hike and was even used as a filming location for a portion of the movie “The Three Musketeers,” released in 1993.

In this article, you can read about the nature park and the ruins of the ancient castle.

Landsee Mountains Nature Park

This nature park is located in the heart of the state of Burgenland. The area of the park is about 6,500 hectares. The park’s grounds are popular among hikers and cyclists, with many enjoyable trails in the heart of nature. In addition, it has a beautiful observation point overlooking the area and a large event stage where various festivals are held.

Besides the ancient castle in the park, there is also an open-air museum showcasing the life of the Celts who lived in this area in ancient times.

This is what the nature park looks like

Ruins of Landsee Castle

The ancient castle was built as early as the 12th century on a bare hill near the town of Landsee. The castle, which was one of the largest in the region, served as a fortified stronghold. Duke Albrecht of Austria conquered the castle, and it remained in the possession of the House of Habsburg for several hundred years thereafter. In the early 17th century, the castle was given to the Hungarian noble family, Esterházy.

In the 18th century, a large fire broke out in the castle complex, and it was abandoned in favor of Forchtenstein Castle. Since 1968, the ruins have served as a beloved attraction, and many hikers come to it to enjoy the wonderful views it offers.