Stauf Castle Ruins

Stauf Castle Ruins—a historic landmark featuring a keep with a view stretching far beyond the Eferding Basin. The name: “Stauf” is a Common Germanic term for “cup without a foot,” supplanted by the loanwords “Becher” and “Kelch.” The Old Norse form “staup” refers to a depression in the path; “Becher,” uniformly rendered as “stauff.” A place name in High German for a cone-shaped elevation.

Hours: Summer 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. / Winter 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

Location: Elevation: 531 m above sea level in the “Naturwunda” municipality of Haibach ob der Donau

More information about the fascinating history of the Stauf Castle Ruins...

The History: Wernhard de Stove is first mentioned in 1125 as the owner of Stauf Castle; from 1146 onward, he went by the name Heinrich de Julbach, and from 1161 onward, Wernhart von Schaunberg. In 1386, Stauf Castle was occupied by Duke Albrecht and subsequently inhabited by stewards. Upon the death of Wolfgang II in 1559, Stauf Castle passed to Wolfgang von Liechtenstein und Nikolsburg as part of the division of the estate. In 1593, Helmhard Jörger acquired the Stauf estate. Together with the Protestant estates, he openly resisted Emperor Ferdinand II, who confiscated the Jörger estates and transferred them to Imperial Prince Karl von Harrach in 1622. Since that time, Stauf has been in the possession of the Harrach family.
The medieval complex consists of a keep, a great hall, and an outer bailey, of which only the main walls, built of rubble and fieldstones, remain. The 21.67-meter-high keep, accessible from the inner courtyard, has an irregular hexagonal shape on the outside but
rectangular shape. The lowest floors feature pointed barrel vaults; the exterior edges of the tower are reinforced with stone blocks, and the window slits have Gothic stone jambs.
The Stauf Castle ruins, with their tower (viewing platform) that can still be climbed, have become a well-known and popular destination for day trips thanks to the exceptionally beautiful panoramic view that greets visitors on clear days.