Burgruine Federaun, Medieval castle ruin in Villach, Austria.

Burgruine Federaun sits atop a steep rock formation above Villach and preserves several wall sections with towers and rooms from the Middle Ages. The rock itself forms the foundation of the fortification and made this location hard to reach.

Federaun was first documented in 1160, when Emperor Frederick I granted the Bishop of Bamberg the right to build a fortress guarding the road and the Gail bridge. Bishop Hermann II issued charters there in 1174, 1176 and 1177. In 1233 Heinrich von Finkenstein-Ras besieged and destroyed the castle during the Bamberg-Spanheim conflict, and the earthquake of 1348 caused major damage before it was rebuilt.

The ruins carry the name of a family that once ruled the region, and today still show the floor plans of medieval buildings. Visitors can read how rooms were arranged and how the inhabitants used this rocky ridge.

You reach the ruins by following marked walking paths from Villach that lead step by step upward. Sturdy footwear is recommended because the ground is uneven and paths can become steep.

The bridge watchtower Thurnegg, on a rock above the Gail, was built in 1353 by Ebringer zu den Thuren and later converted into a residential tower. It is the only one of the Federaun towers still standing; the second tower mentioned in documents has never been located.