Stauf Castle Ruins

Stauf castle ruins - a sight with history and a keep with a view far beyond the Eferding basin. The name: "Stauf" is the common Germanic term for "cup without foot", replaced by the loan words "Becher" and "Kelch". Old Norse form "staup" for depression in the path; cup, standardised to "stauff". Land name in Upper German for conical elevation.

History - Architecture

Opening hours: Summer 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. / Winter 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Location: Altitude: 531 metres above sea level in the "Naturwunda" community of Haibach ob der Donau

More information about the exciting history of the Stauf castle ruins...

The history: Wernhard de Stove was first mentioned as the owner of Stauf Castle in 1125. He and his son Heinrich de Julbach called themselves Wernhart von Schaunberg from 1146 and Wernhart von Schaunberg from 1161. In 1386, Stauf Castle was occupied by Duke Albrecht and subsequently inhabited by stewards. On the death of Wolfgang II in 1559, the Stauf fell to Wolfgang von Liechtenstein and Nikolsburg in the division of the estate. Helmhard Jörger then acquired the Stauf estate in 1593. Together with the Protestant estates, he openly resisted Emperor Ferdinand II, who confiscated the Jörger estates and handed them over to the Imperial Prince Karl von Harrach in 1622. Since then, the Stauf has been owned by the Harrach family.
The medieval complex consists of a keep, palas and outer bailey, of which only the main walls made of quarrystone and boulders remain. The 21.67 metre high keep, which is accessible from the inner courtyard, has an irregular hexagonal shape, but is square inside.
quadrangular shape. The lowest storeys have pointed barrel vaults, the tower edges are reinforced on the outside with stone ashlars and the window slits have Gothic stone walls.
The ruins of Stauf Castle, with its tower that can still be climbed (viewing platform), have become a well-known and popular excursion destination due to the rarely beautiful distant view that visitors can enjoy on a clear day.