[1] Herberstein Castle sits on a rock in the Feistritz [de; fr; sh; sv] ravine and thus is not accessible from 3 sides.

The first small castle called 'Herwigstein' (named after Herwig of Krottendorf) stood under the fiefdom of the Stubenberg Clan.

By 1400 the castle was expanded by a massive outer bailey, which included the previously built Gothic chapel of St. Catherine.

Mid-16th century, the castle was transformed into a residential building with Renaissance elements and expanded to accommodate the numerous offspring.

After the conviction of Andrea Herberstein (born Untersteiner) for serious commercial fraud in connection with the misuse of state subsidies granted to the Herberstein Zoo, the zoo is now managed by the Styrian Tiergarten GmbH, which is owned by Styria.