Category: Castle

Fortified complex Turmbauerkogel hill near Eibiswald

The medieval fortification Turmbauerkogel hill near Eibiswald was the first motte in Styria to be investigated according to modern archaeological criteria – a little more than 50 years ago.

It is located halfway between the upper Saggau river valley and the Radlberg hill not far from the border to Lower Styria/Slovenia, on an important regional traffic route to the middle Drau river valley, and was owned by servants to the sovereign. The predominantly ceramic finds mostly date from the 13th and 14th centuries.

The Turmbauerkogel fortification is located halfway between the upper Saggau river valley and the 669 m high Radlberg hill, i.e. on an important regional traffic route into the middle Drau river valley. It has impressive dimensions and stretches in a north-south direction over a length of almost 450 m. However, the complex is hardly 50 m wide, so that an elongated, stretched appearance is created. The north and south ends of the complex are formed by the two mounds Turmbauerkogel 1 (north mound) and Turmbauerkogel 2 (south mound), which are each reinforced by rampart and ditch.

Turmbauerkogel 1
Turmbauerkogel 2
The first motte in Styria
In the service of the sovereign

Text: Mag. Dr. Christoph Gutjahr

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