Description of the attraction
The densely forested stone ruins of the old Treffen castle are located 750 meters above sea level, on a hillside near Lake Ossiachersee, 10 km north of Villach. The dilapidated castle covers an area of 5400 square meters. Remains of walls with stone gaps, which used to be arched passages, have survived to our time.
The history of the castle and the lands on which it stands dates back to the 9th century. In 878 King Karlmann donated this land to the Bavarian monastery of Otting. A settlement was built here, which was later transformed into a castle. In the 10th century, the village belonged to the diocese of Salzburg, and then to the bishops of Passau. The latter handed it over to Emperor Henry II in 1007. The foundation of the castle was laid in 1065 by Count Marquart Eppenstein. The Earls and Dukes of Eppenstein were at that time one of the most powerful families in the Southeast Alps.
Between 1473 and 1483, Old Treffen Castle suffered from Ottoman raids. Finally, it was destroyed in the 15th century during the Hungarian Wars. Soon it was restored, and at the same time rebuilt. At the end of the 17th century, it was abandoned and gradually destroyed. We can say that since the middle of the 16th century, no one has dealt with it. The castle was inherited, sold, but the new owners were in no hurry to invest in maintaining it. In 1690, an earthquake occurred here, which caused its destruction. Currently, the land and ruins of the Old Treffen castle are also privately owned.
