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Sometimes called the Devil’s Stone, the ruins of the former Mödling Castle is said to be haunted by a demonic bird-like entity, screeching at night as an omen of death and disaster.
Sometimes called the Devil’s Stone, the ruins of the former Mödling Castle is said to be haunted by a demonic bird-like entity, screeching at night as an omen of death and disaster.
Just 30 minutes from Vienna lies the ruin of Mödling Castle, once Austria’s largest castle complex, where the Babenbergs lived in 1177, but history of the place on the hilltop stretches much further back.
Read More: Check out all ghostly tales from Austria
Throughout the years, the once noble castle was often dubbed by its other name, Devil’s Stone. Although the old castle is now in ruins, there are local legends about demonic spirits said to never have left, and never will.
In the Ruins of Castle Mödling
Once upon a time, this now ruins was one of the largest castle complexes in Austria. In the 12th century, a branch of the Babenberg family resided here. The ruins remaining is actually a 19th century reconstruction of the much older castle that originally was.
After the Hungarian victory at the Battle of Pressburg, the Bavarians retreated as far as the Vienna Woods, resulting in a two-hundred-year gap in records and only a few noteworthy archaeological finds from this period.
The next record of a castle in Mödling dates from 1137 and mentions a “castellanus” who presumably already resided on a hill overlooking the town. Around 1150, the Babenbergs, under Duke Henry II Jasomirgott, began construction of a stone castle. Today, only the foundation walls and a few imposing arches remain.
The Demon Stones
Another nickname for the Mödling Castle is actually Teufelstein, meaning Devil’s Stone. It is uncertain when people started to refer this place as such, but in the play Der Teufelstein in Mödling (also Die Zauber-Rose) from 1800 it is referred to as such. Although a folktale romantic comedy, could there be something the writer drew inspiration for?
Because there have been several legends referring to the Devil’s Stones. In these tales, people often talk about something demonic happening on the castle hills, like wicked goblins causing mischief, or even demonic birds screeching in the night as a bad omen of oncoming danger and death.
The Cries of the Demonic Bird Udl
One of the enduring legends of the Schlossberg or the castle hill near Mödling, is the call of the demonic bird Udl. It is said to sound eerie and hoarse, filling everyone hearing it with dread, because they know what it means.
Demonic Bird Lore:The Udl is thought to be connected to the Eurasian eagle-owl as many other demonic bird stories are. According to historians, people of olden times believed that when the eagle owl let its sinister scream sound in European forests or along the coast, it was a sign of ghosts, accidents, or other terrible things to come. In Asia, especially for the Mongolians and the Turks, the owl is seen as sacred instead.
No one can scare the creature away, and no one dares to kill it. It always returns to its forest and is said to never leave. And its voice heralds war and famine, sickness and death. And attacks from the Hungarians, Ottomans and even Romans, the attacks were plenty on these hills.
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The Danish ghostly horse spirit Helhest is said to roam around St. Canute’s Cathedral in Odense, Denmark. It is believed seeing the three legged horse is an omen of imminent death.
According to old legends and Danish folklore, there are stories of three legged horses haunting the churches and graveyards in the country. in Saint Olaf’s Church, the spirit of the helhest is said to be the omen of death.
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In the windswept landscape of Norway’s west coast lies the Utstein Monastery, a site steeped in history and haunting tales. Known as Norway’s best-preserved medieval monastery, its ancient stone walls and iconic Gothic windows whisper stories of faith, love, and loss as well as the ghost of a Lady in White.
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