# Burgruine Rauchenkatsch

- **Country:** Austria
- **Coordinates:** 46.980000, 13.622222

Burgruine Rauchenkatsch is a medieval rock castle site located near Krems in Carinthia, Austria. Originally constructed in the 12th century by the Archbishopric of Salzburg, the fortress stood at an elevation of approximately 1,050 meters. Its primary architectural purpose was strategic, designed to command and control the historic trade route crossing the Katschberg Pass within the Hohe Tauern mountain range. The structure served as a critical checkpoint for regulating the movement of travelers and goods traveling between Radstadt and Mauterndorf down to the Carinthian town of Gmünd.

The historical significance of Rauchenkatsch dates back to its first mention in an 1197 deed as castrum chaetze, though it may have originated on the site of an earlier Roman fortress. After being demolished by a severe earthquake in 1201, the castle was promptly rebuilt and continued to be staffed by Salzburg ministeriales who enforced tolls and security. Despite its resilience, the site eventually lost its military utility and was sold by Prince-Archbishop Wolf Dietrich Raitenau in 1605, leading to a long period of decay.

Today, the castle is considered levelled, with no visible ruins remaining above ground. The final remnants of the structure were completely destroyed in 1967 during preparatory earthworks for the construction of the Tauern Autobahn. While the physical building no longer exists, its legacy remains tied to the region's medieval economic history and the development of alpine transit routes. The site currently serves as a historical landmark noted in regional records, marking where a once-vital defensive stronghold stood before modern infrastructure reshaped the landscape.

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