Rotenturm Castle

The history of the site dates back to the Middle Ages, when a moated castle was located in the northwest corner of the present area, protected by the Pinka river and moats. A documentary mention of a castle in Ruttenthuren dates to 1523. In the course of property disputes, Rotenturm was forcibly taken by Peter Erdődy in 1532, before the castle was destroyed by the Stubenbergers in 1540. Towards the end of the 17th century, the “Old Castle” was built, but it was demolished at the beginning of the 19th century. Around 1830, a keep was erected in the southwest corner of the castle park, which later served as the Old Castle Wing or servants' quarters and was demolished in 1972 due to dilapidation. The Baroque castle park was transformed into an English landscape garden around 1840. The current castle was built from 1862 to 1864 according to plans by the Budapest master builder Antal Weber under the direction of Johann Lang. Until 1929, it housed the collections of the count and countess Julius and Emilie Erdődy. A fire in 1924 destroyed large parts of the interior, including the family archive and a secret archive of Prince Franz II. Rákóczi. After the death of the last Erdődy descendant, the indebted property passed to Count Nikolaus Szechenyi. The collections were auctioned in 1929, and the castle was briefly acquired by the violin virtuoso Jan Kubelík. In 1971, it came into the possession of the State of Burgenland, and since 2008, it has been privately owned again and is being renovated.

Rotenturm Castle is located at an elevation of approximately 299 meters above sea level in the municipality of Rotenturm an der Pinka in the Oberwart district, Burgenland, Austria.

Rotenturm Castle is currently privately owned and is being renovated with expert support from the Federal Monuments Office. The main facade with a campanile-like tower faces the castle park. The two-story castle chapel is identifiable on the west corner. Inside, after destruction during World War II, only fragments of the original furnishings remain, including a Madonna figure in the parish church of Rotenturm.

• Burg Schlaining (Castle), approx. 8.4 km away
• Schloss Jormannsdorf (Castle), approx. 11.0 km away
• Kastell Stegersbach (Castle), approx. 11.8 km away
• Schloss Kohfidisch (Castle), approx. 12.2 km away