Finkenstein am Faaker See

Finkenstein am Faaker See (Slovene: Bekštanj) is a market town in the district of Villach-Land in Carinthia, Austria.

It is located south of Villach and the Drava River, on the northern slope of the Karawanks with Mt.

The municipality includes the cadastral community of Faak am See (Bače), Ferlach (Borovlje), Fürnitz (Brnca), Greuth (Rute), Gödersdorf (Vodiča vas), Korpitsch (Grpiče), Latschach am Faakersee (Loče), Mallestig (Malošče) and Sankt Stefan (Šteben).

Lend to the ducal ministeriales, the Lords of Finkenstein, it was an important outpost overlooking the Gail valley and the Carinthian estates of the Bamberg prince-bishops around Villach and Federaun Castle vis-à-vis.

In 1508 Emperor Maximilian I, Duke of Carinthia since 1493, granted Finkenstein to his liegeman Siegmund von Dietrichstein, whose descendants held the castle until 1861.

Finkenstein Castle
Altfinkenstein, view to Mt. Mittagskogel