Dobra Castle

Dobra Castle, locally known as Burg Dobra, lies south of the village of Reichhalms, east of the city of Zwettl in the province of Lower Austria in Austria.

Dobra Castle was first mentioned in 1278 when it was given to Otto von Dürnstein. In 1329 Arnold von Dobra sold the castle to his uncle Simon von Sitzendorf. Johann II von Kuenring inherited the castle in 1342. In 1408 the castle went to the Liechtenstein family. The castle was sieged in 1448. During the 16th century the castle changed ownership several times.

In 1639 Dobra Castle was bought by Jakob von Kuefstein. Dobra Castle was sieged again in 1645, this time by Swedish troops. In 1715 the castle went to the Von Ehrmanns family. After they had built a new manor in Wetzlas, they abandoned the castle in 1725 after which it fell to ruin. The ruin was used as a quarry by the locals for their own houses and for enlarging the church at Franzen.

The castle was built on a ridge in the valley of the Kamp river. It has a rectangular layout with a gate on each end. There are still several large towers and some cellars you can visit. Nowadays the castle is on the shore of an artificial lake caused by a dam downstream the Kamp river.

At present Dobra Castle is used as a youth camping in the summer months; this is their website: Camping Ruine Dobra. During winter, when I visited, the castle ruin is freely accessible.

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