The Celtic castle in Schwarzenbach

The hilltop settlement on the Burgberg near Schwarzenbach is one of the best-preserved rampart fortifications of its kind and was an important trading center in the Latène period.

The rulers of the Celtic "castle" near Schwarzenbach controlled the raw materials and traffic routes in the region in the last century BC. The populated high plateau at 546 m above sea level covers an area of 12.7 ha; the castle was therefore one of the medium-sized fortifications of the Latène period (450 BC to the time around the birth of Christ).

A mighty rampart

The fortification consisted of a rampart and ditch system on the flat northern side of the castle hill; the other sides fall away steeply. The rampart is preserved up to 7 m high. It was built over time from various construction elements - wooden boxwork, post-slotted wall, stone wall and layers of rubble - and repeatedly repaired. Access was through a so-called pincer gate. During the excavations, buildings in sleeper and post construction, some of which were dug into the slope, were discovered. Some of these - as well as a section of the rampart with tower - were reconstructed on site for the open-air museum.

Trade and craft center

The rich iron deposits of the nearby Oberpullendorf Bay were one of the economic foundations for the settlement of Schwarzenbach. It also certainly benefited from the Pauliberg, which was only around 6 km away and whose basalt rock was used to make millstones. The hilltop settlement also controlled the traffic route from central Burgenland to Steinfeld. It was a trading hub, as Mediterranean import finds (e.g. bronze tableware and coins) suggest. It may also have had its own mint. A blacksmith's workshop with numerous tools (such as chisels, files and punches) indicates intensive handicraft production - iron flakes were probably forged, processed and traded. Whether the inhabitants farmed themselves or were supplied by the surrounding area remains unclear for the time being. An interesting find is a depot with fragmented jewelry, where several people apparently performed ritual sacrifices.

Tip: The Schwarzenbach Archaeological Open-Air Museum is located on the castle hill, where the reconstructed buildings provide an insight into the everyday life of the Celts.