Neu-Ems Castle, Medieval castle in Hohenems, Austria.
Neu-Ems Castle is a medieval hilltop fortress built on a mountainside east of Hohenems, overlooking the Rhine valley. The complex features residential buildings, a chapel, and defensive structures shaped to follow the natural slope of the terrain.
Construction began in 1343 under Knight Ulrich I von Ems, with approval from Emperor Louis IV of Bavaria. After being destroyed during the Appenzell Wars in 1407, the fortress was rebuilt and continued to serve as a seat of power in the region.
The chapel of the castle once held a decorated winged altar that has been on display at the Tyrolean State Museum in Innsbruck since 1835. This piece gives a sense of the religious life that took place within the walls.
The castle has been privately owned since 1843 and is not open to visitors. From certain points in the valley or on the surrounding hillsides, the building can be seen from the outside.
The castle has remained in the hands of the same family for nearly two centuries, making it one of the more unusually stable privately held fortresses in the region. Its position on the slope also means that the outline of the medieval walls is still clearly readable from below.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
