Devín is a milestone for the Austrian patriots and Austrian historical science too, who are constantly looking for Carnuntum, the capital of the Kingdom of Noricum. It was founded by Celts after crossing the Alps and occupying the territory to the south from the Danube River. Norics who originally belonged to the tribal union of Celtic Taurisci lived in the territory of current Styria, Carinthia, and Slovenia.
The Devín rock would represent an ideal location for the capital of the Kingdom of Noricum. Moreover, the word carn with the Illyrian origin means a white lime rock shining from the distance. This theory is still alive, and it has been neither confirmed nor disproved yet.
At the turn of the 15th century, the Kingdom of Noricum was amicably annexed to the Roman Empire.
We also have here Carnuntum, the capital of the Roman province Pannonia Superior, which was founded shortly after the birth of Christ and was built in the territory of current Petronell-Carnuntum, a market-village in Austria. Currently, the most extensive excavations from the Roman era in Central Europe can be found here. This town was built of lime rock; lime was quarried in the hills in the territory of Austria. It is not clear whether Romans adopted the name from local inhabitants Norics or whether the name was given to the town due to other reasons.
Nevertheless, Devín is an important point for the Austrian national awareness too, for it visualizes how far the Austrian nation’s history reaches, and what can be included in its cultural heritage.