Ehrenhausen Castle commands a prominent hilltop position above the market town of Ehrenhausen an der Weinstraße in Styria, serving as a gateway guardian to the South Styrian Wine Road. This well-preserved three-story, four-wing fortress emerged in its current form during the 16th century when the Eggenberg family built upon earlier 12th-century foundations, with first historical documentation appearing in 1240. As one of Austria's critical eastern fortifications, Ehrenhausen once defended the region against Turkish invasion. The castle hill also hosts the mausoleum of Ruprecht von Eggenberg (1546-1611) and his nephew Wolf von Eggenberg, an architectural treasure designed by Italian painter and architect Giovanni Pietro de Pomis. Today, Ehrenhausen Castle represents a rare survivor of medieval military architecture, offering commanding views of the town and embodying the historical significance of Styria's wine-producing frontier.
