Grünburg Castle

The castle dates from the High Middle Ages. Towards the end of the 11th century, ministeriales of the Counts of Görz-Tirol and the Bishops of Bamberg resided here. In the 12th century, servants of the Archbishops of Salzburg lived here. The castle was first mentioned in a document in 1217 as being in the possession of the Grünburgers (Ulricus de Gruneburch).

Grünburg remained in the possession of the Görz counts until their extinction. Afterwards, it fell to King Frederick III. He gave it in 1470 as a life annuity to Wolfgang Fleck. He was followed by Hans von Wolkenstein, who received Grünburg as a fief from the emperor. For the next hundred years, there is no news about the fortified building or its owners. It was not until 1626 that it was noted to be in the possession of Baron Hans Leonhard von Windischgrätz.

Three years later, Georg Friedrich von Ambthofen is mentioned as the lord of the castle. Nothing is known about the further fate of the fortified building, but Grünburg must have lost all significance with the decline of Carinthian mining in this area. It was probably abandoned and deserted as early as the 17th century. In later times, Grünburg was incorporated into the dominion of Eberstein. The ruin, along with the surrounding forests, is now private property.