# Burgruine Rauterburg

- **Country:** Austria

Burgruine Rauterburg is a historic castle ruin located in the state of Carinthia, Austria. Believed to have originated during the Carolingian period between the 9th and 10th centuries, this fortress served as the ancestral seat of the Counts of Heunburg. The site holds significant historical value as the early home of this noble family, with the oldest recorded member, Gero I, appearing in texts from 1070. He is often credited with constructing the subsequent Haimburg castle, which eventually replaced Rauterburg as the family's primary residence. By 1228, the counts had relocated their seat of power to Bleiberg, marking the beginning of the decline for the original Rauterburg structure.

The current condition of the site reflects centuries of neglect and active dismantling. Since 1886, the ruins have been under the ownership of the Helldorff family. However, the physical integrity of the castle suffered a major blow in 1920 when a large portion of the remaining stonework was demolished and repurposed for local road construction. Today, no distinct architectural details or decorative elements survive. Visitors can observe only the scant remains of a single building, which is internally divided into four unequal rooms. Despite its dilapidated state, the location remains a tangible link to the early medieval history of the region and the lineage of the Heunburg counts.

![Photo of Burgruine Rauterburg](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/dc/Burgruine_Rauterburg_06.jpg)

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