Burg Lockenhaus

Burgenland

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Lockenhaus is famous for its castle, or more accurately, for its former resident Elizabeth Bäthory. Better known as the ‘Blood Countess’, she has gone down in history for her reign of terror early in the 17th century, when she reputedly tortured and murdered over 600 mainly peasant girls and women for her own sadistic pleasure. The castle has long been cleansed of such gruesome horrors but still contains the requisite and rather impressive torture chamber, complete with an iron maiden.

In addition to being a tourist attraction, the castle also houses hotel rooms and a restaurant.

Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

  • Storno House & Collection

    Storno House & Collection

    21.05 MILES

    Built in 1417, Storno House has an illustrious history: King Matthias stayed here in 1482–83, and Franz Liszt played a number of concerts here in the mid…

  • Firewatch Tower

    Firewatch Tower

    21.04 MILES

    A narrow spiral staircase of 116 steps leads to the summit of this 60m-high tower, from which trumpeters would warn of fire, mark the hour and watch for…

  • Fabricius House

    Fabricius House

    21.03 MILES

    This baroque mansion is divided into three sections. The archaeological exhibition covers Celtic, Roman and Hungarian periods of history, the standout…

  • Burg Forchtenstein

    Burg Forchtenstein

    21.59 MILES

    Straddling a dolomite spur some 20km southwest of Eisenstadt, Burg Forchtenstein is one of Burgenland’s most imposing castles with a grand view from its…

  • Old Synagogue

    Old Synagogue

    20.91 MILES

    The Old Synagogue, built in the 14th century, contains two rooms, one for each sex (note the women’s windows along the west wall). The main room contains…

  • Dom

    Dom

    29.66 MILES

    This cathedral runs an architectural gamut from the Romanesque (it dates from the late 13th century) to the Gothic and beyond to the baroque. The…

  • Harrer Chocolate Factory

    Harrer Chocolate Factory

    21.45 MILES

    Sopron’s answer to Willy Wonka’s Chocolate Factory. The Austrian confectioner dynasty Harrer goes back four generations and aims to initiate you into the…

  • Goat Church

    Goat Church

    20.99 MILES

    Built in the late 13th century, this mostly Gothic church gets its unusual name from the legend that the church had been built thanks to the treasure…

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Nearby Burgenland attractions

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5. Holocaust Memorial

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6. Old Synagogue

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7. New Synagogue

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Like the Old Synagogue, the New Synagogue was also built in the 14th century; both are among the greatest Jewish Gothic monuments in Europe. The New…

8. Scarbantia Forum

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