Burgruine Alt-Albeck

Burgruine Alt-Albeck stands near the village of Albeck in Carinthia. Built in the 10th century on a rocky crag above the narrow Gurk valley, it once controlled the middle Gurk valley. The first written record of the castle appears in 1155 when it was enlarged. By the late 17th century most of the structure had been dismantled, leaving only scattered remains. The castle’s history is tied to the Hemma von Gurk and the bishops of Gurk. After disputes between the Gurk diocese and the Peggau family, the bishop finally took full control in 1264. A 1651 restoration by Pfleger Ulrich von Basayo and later work under Bishop Johann VIII kept parts standing until the late 17th century. Stones from the old castle were reused to build nearby Schloss Albeck around 1700. Today only sparse ruins remain, partly covered by forest and ivy. A round tower and the remains of a 12th- or 13th-century Romanesque chapel can still be found. The chapel’s square choir and semicircular arch are faintly visible among the trees. The site is quiet, with few visitors and little to mark its former importance.