 The date of the founding of the castle is unclear, but the noble house of Rihemberk () is first recorded in 1230, originating from Riffenstein in Tyrol, now the castle of Reifenstein in Freienfeld, northern Italy.The name "Rihemberk" derives from the name of the family's former castle, and is a compound of the German words "Riffe" ("ridge") and "Berg" ("mountain").The family received substantial properties in fief from the Counts of Gorizia, including estates in the Vipava Valley, the Karst Plateau, in the outskirts of the town of Gorizia and elsewhere.