Ruine Frohnberg, Miesenbach

The Frohnberg castle ruin rises above a steep rock spur on the far side of the Miesenbach valley, north-west of Scheuchenstein in Miesenbach, Lower Austria. The 12th-century fortress once controlled the valley approaches and is now protected as an official monument. It began as the seat of the Frohnberg family, whose members Gotsalcus, Meinhard and Friedrich appear in records from 1197 and 1214. After passing to the prince in the mid-14th century, the stronghold was destroyed under King Matthias Corvinus between 1443 and 1490 and has remained a picturesque ruin ever since. Visitors find the remains of an irregular rectangular enclosure with sections of curtain wall still standing on the east side. At the northern edge, above a sheer drop, the hexagonal keep once rose, while to the south a short stretch of the outer rampart’s wall survives. The site offers sweeping views across the valley and the surrounding wooded hills.