Hauenfels Castle

The origins of Hauenfels Castle are largely unexplored, and it is debated whether it was actually a castle complex. The name "Hauenfels" is based on a misinterpretation of the term "Huwensteine," which would correctly mean "Owl Stone." A possible first mention as "Huwensteine" can be found in a court roll of St. Ulrich Monastery from 1316. Finds on site suggest a period of use from the 13th to the early 16th century. During the Thirty Years' War, the complex served as a hiding place for the Dominican Father Michael, from where he led a successful guerrilla war against the Swedes. Later, it was used as a hideout by robber gangs. In the late 1990s, parts of the masonry were damaged by vandalism.