Burg Ehrenfels

Burg Ehrenfels is a hilltop castle located near the municipality of Kammern im Liesingtal in Austria. It was built and occupied by members of the Ehrenfels family, a noble lineage that originated from the Swiss canton of Graubünden.

The earliest record of the site dates back to 1229, when it was identified as the ancestral home of the Ehrenfels family. During this period, they held ties as vassals to the Hochstift Bamberg, a significant ecclesiastical principality. In 1292, the family took part in the Landsberger Bund uprising against Duke Albrecht I. Following their defeat, they were compelled to compensate the monastery of Admont through the transfer of properties, reflecting the political and religious complexities of the time.

Between 1356 and 1362, Wulfing von Ehrenfels served as an administrator and deputy for Bamberg’s interests in St. Leonhard im Lavanttal. His four sons significantly expanded their residence into a fortified castle. Notably, two of these brothers gained infamy as highwaymen when they captured Bishop Albert of Passau and demanded ransom. This act led to their excommunication by the Church and intervention by Duke Albrecht II, demonstrating the family’s turbulent relationship with both secular and religious authorities.

In the later 14th and early 15th centuries, another family member, Wolfhard von Ehrenfels, held important ecclesiastical positions as bishop of Basel from 1381 and bishop of Lavant from 1411, marking the continued influence of the family within church hierarchies. The line of the Ehrenfels family came to an end in 1422.

By 1439, the castle was referred to as “Veste Ernvels,” and around 1500 it appeared with the name “oberes Gsloss,” meaning “upper castle.” Records suggest that following this period, the castle was likely abandoned and ceased to be maintained as a residence or fortress.