Burg Rappottenstein
Around 1150, Rapoto von Kuenring founded a number of castles in the Waldviertel to secure the possession of the Kuenringers, whose most powerful was Rappottenstein.
The castle Rappottenstein was from the very beginning of great importance. On the one hand, it was in the middle of the extended possessions of the Kuenringers - it was thus a stable center in a turbulent time. On the other hand, however, it also protected the Griessteig, an ancient side branch of the Beheimsteiges that can still be found today in the municipal area, which led from the Danube through the northern forest to the Bohemian countryside. In addition, the castle Rappottenstein was one of the strongest links in that formed on the course of the Kamp chain of fortifications, which had the task of protecting the country against invasions of the Bohemians and thus to grant the Babenbergermark flank protection.
After the fall of the Kuenringer the castle came in 1305 to the Lords of Dachsberg, 1423 to the Starhemberg family and 1546 to the Lords of Landau. Insurgent peasants besieged the castle in 1597, but they could not take it. Swedish troops besieged the castle in vain in 1645. [2]
Finally, the castle came in 1664 by purchase to the present owners, the Counts Abensperg - Traun, whose present possessions are around Rappottenstein, Wolkersdorf, Maissau, in the Weinviertel, in the Waldviertel and in the industrial district, with especially Maissau and Petronell are mentioned.
[IMAGE: https://steemitimages.com/DQmTNp72MLCgjXLGQ4mXN2xkppgsQeAf9nQD7NVtk4VNyML/Rappotenstein%20042.JPG]
main gate
[IMAGE: https://steemitimages.com/DQmRXgFcj6qo9BqPQyxXThCrNhWY1WtaVqFjfSzNUEscQGj/Rappotenstein%20043.JPG]
secondary gate
[IMAGE: https://steemitimages.com/DQmY5KVZXG9G24vgNY82Daa23NrwBKop35nwE1Jkq17HPaM/Rappotenstein%20044.JPG]
the massive walls
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inner courtyard
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inner courtyard
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[IMAGE: https://steemitimages.com/DQmVkYzRnU1Ex3MZvK9Wmk2SivAUcdgepUvZm38RFLG8kgs/Rappotenstein%20064.JPG]
lower levels
[IMAGE: https://steemitimages.com/DQmRh9Mjk69ctELW9Ex7MBN1LUJKr6nvRwGCtfmUDyq3gU2/Rappotenstein%20066.JPG]
upper levels
[IMAGE: https://steemitimages.com/DQmYUaLhKpzrgVVmcd2pPWvdoW68SCjLF9PEmtDVm7xgDN6/Rappotenstein%20070.JPG]kitchen
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castle walkways
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upper inner courtyard
[IMAGE: https://steemitimages.com/DQmW25QWVEynFhY6gGWjaNU5ryMpaALAaVqNXt9nkJo3cRG/Rappotenstein%20074.JPG]
an antique lamp
[IMAGE: https://steemitimages.com/DQmXR8ayEMtdvQKpbFSDCVUu3vMdTQ55Mfxo7iazoEMPuNF/Rappotenstein%20086.JPG]
Antique spinning wheel
[IMAGE: https://steemitimages.com/DQmRpGe44KDFPVDDRQkKvNV24NDPoFX6451UubHetoGsZRw/Rappotenstein%20087.JPG]weapons room
[IMAGE: https://steemitimages.com/DQmPeGvzbQySyXjGTrmoE3fpVZ2etvTCbjFRncj3qiRC31c/Rappotenstein%20090.JPG]
antique closet
[IMAGE: https://steemitimages.com/DQmTsk9rbbBNTGW1sqHwimQceZBmWtbDv1HGktQgsorpMUE/Rappotenstein%20096.JPG]hunting trophies
[IMAGE: https://steemitimages.com/DQmNWdxpyLRx8VsG1KW8xbXnLLa7pyDECxtsvX4qAvj5CnX/Rappotenstein%20101.JPG]
upper inner gardens
[IMAGE: https://steemitimages.com/DQmRaQ9CEmBwqtudrTTPapbDMD33BceibCwkYJcS8hdeMP2/Rappotenstein%20107.JPG]
wood walkways
[IMAGE: https://steemitimages.com/DQmcT86eVtPxEpvsm6zQ31XHR5QAsF9KFL6PS29fHXLsUa3/Rappotenstein%20108.JPG]
not sure what this old tool was, maybe to separate wheat
[IMAGE: https://steemitimages.com/DQmXqkoq8hJDoaJBvSMxBvuSnGoAGtKHKonduiUgbd42iJD/Rappotenstein%20114.JPG]
old horse drawn carriage
[IMAGE: https://steemitimages.com/DQmW2aFSGcuuLEFjT8khphaALWy8i3hrPoPegVp7taVeSPS/Rappotenstein%20115.JPG]
the wood details fascinate me, beautiful
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secondary gate
[IMAGE: https://steemitimages.com/DQmZcXP7Qav6Xhqpo6msziVTzrUjskrxdZLVjpH64JrDYXB/Rappotenstein%20126.JPG]
a view toward the exit main gate
[IMAGE: https://steemitimages.com/DQmWSTvgwXXvuvm1jbMZMSV52fy6HCXbXxau3R2HgSUJmXG/Rappotenstein%20128.JPG]this shows how the castle is built ontop of solid rock
[IMAGE: https://steemitimages.com/DQmP2tZp7GNKPjpUbFH6yQ1H9MpJoNBR4kBE6eKmgqq6w5c/Rappotenstein%20131.JPG]the outside view of Rappottenstein
[IMAGE: https://steemitimages.com/DQmRYCXkuCr9wYLFDmXiXPaMJctf77z3TR9AXtnH3ySUyJb/Rappotenstein%20132.JPG]
and finally a fountain carved out of solid rock, called Steintröge in German
I hope you enjoyed my tour of the Burg Rappottenstein with the many pictures.
As source information I used wikipedia.
