# Burgruine Ortenburg

- **Country:** Austria
- **Coordinates:** 46.793743, 13.458923

Burgruine Ortenburg is a medieval hill castle situated in Baldramsdorf, Carinthia, Austria. Perched on the northern slope of Mount Goldeck within the Gailtal Alps, the fortress overlooks the Drava valley at an elevation of approximately 740 meters. Construction began between 1070 and 1096 under Adalbert, a Bavarian noble and ministerialis of the Bishops of Freising. The structure served as the administrative heart of the vast Ortenburg estates, eventually eclipsing the nearby Hohenburg Castle after the extinction of the rival Counts of Lurn in 1135. The castle's strategic importance grew as the family founded the settlement of Spittal an der Drau below in 1192 and participated in significant regional conflicts, including siding with the Habsburgs against Bohemian forces in the late 13th century.

The site holds deep historical significance tied to the rise and fall of powerful noble houses. Following the death of the last Ortenburg count in 1418, ownership transferred to the Counts of Celje and subsequently to the Imperial House of Habsburg after a series of armed clashes and sieges in the mid-15th century. Notably, the castle was used as a prison for Peter Wunderlich, a leader of the 1478 Carinthian Peasant Revolt, prior to his execution. Its prominence waned after severe damage from the 1348 Friuli earthquake and later storms, especially as the family shifted their residence to the newly built Porcia Castle in Spittal during the 16th century.

Today, Burgruine Ortenburg exists as a secured ruin that has been open to the public since 1976. Although centuries of neglect, seismic activity, and weather events have reduced the structure to its current state, the site remains an accessible landmark for visitors interested in Alpine history. The ruins offer panoramic views of the Drava valley and stand as a testament to the region's turbulent feudal past, marking the transition from early medieval fortification to the eventual dominance of the Habsburg monarchy in Carinthia.

![Photo of Burgruine Ortenburg](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/1a/Badramsdorf_Ortenburg_02.jpg)

**Source:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burgruine_Ortenburg (Wikipedia, CC BY-SA)