Losenstein Castle rises above the village of Losenstein on a 60-metre rock, composed of dolomite. It is one of the largest and oldest ruins of Upper Austria. Built in the 12th century by the Styrian Ottokars, the castle consists of the main building and one major ancillary tower. Beginning in 1252 the Lords of Losenstein owned the castle.
The castle offers views of the village of Losenstein, the river Enns, and the foothills in the direction of Styria. The castle ruins are freely accessible.
The original structure of the castle is still visible. Exterior walls, gothic windows and large arches are still visible. The individual areas such as church, living area, patio and economic activity are precisely delineated.
The Styrian Ottakars built this castle around 1150 to protect themselves from invading troops in the Steiermark. In 1170 the castle was first documented. In 1252 it passed to Dietmar of Steyr, who received it from King Ottokar II of Bohemia in exchange for the city of Steyr. From that point on, the family of Dietmar and his descendants were known as the Lords of Losenstein and owned the castle continuously until their extinction in 1692. The graves of the family of Losenstein are located in Garsten Abbey (Losenstein Chapel). After that the line passed by inheritance to the family of von Auersperg, who eventually sold the castle in 1905 to the province of Upper Austria.
References:Visby Cathedral (also known as St. Mary’s Church) is the only survived medieval church in Visby. It was originally built for German merchants and inaugurated in 1225. Around the year 1350 the church was enlarged and converted into a basilica. The two-storey magazine was also added then above the nave as a warehouse for merchants.
Following the Reformation, the church was transformed into a parish church for the town of Visby. All other churches were abandoned. Shortly after the Reformation, in 1572, Gotland was made into its own Diocese, and the church designated its cathedral.
There is not much left of the original interior. The font is made of local red marble in the 13th century. The pulpit was made in Lübeck in 1684. There are 400 graves under the church floor.