Reichenstein Castle

Of the medieval complex, only the castle chapel at the tip of the terrain above the river remains today. In 1576, a Renaissance residential wing was built in place of the former palas, and of the newly erected flanking towers, the right one is still preserved today. In the Knights' Hall of the residential wing, which features double-arched windows, remnants of frescoes are still visible.

During construction work in 2012, large parts of an older castle were discovered on the grounds of the castle ruin.

A Ulrich von Reichenstein is first mentioned in a document in 1230. The construction of the medieval castle complex is estimated to have taken place between 1230 and 1300. Various noble families alternated in possession of the castle: Kapeller, Wallseer, Liechtensteiner.

In 1567, the Styrian knight Christoph Haym acquired the small fortress. Within 3 years, he transformed the originally medieval castle into a magnificent Renaissance palace, the remains of which form the bulk of today's building fabric. The new construction was only possible by increasing the taxes and corvée labor of the subjects, who consequently renounced their obedience to Haym, gathered under their leader Siegmund Gaisrucker, and plundered the two farmsteads belonging to the castle (Reichenstein Robot Uprising (1567–1582)). In 1571, Christoph Haym was shot from an ambush; the suspected perpetrator Gaisrucker was never seen again. Several legends surround this event. Haym was buried in his crypt in Wartberg.

Since 1729, the castle has been owned by the formerly princely Starhemberg family. In 1750, the complex was abandoned by its inhabitants and subsequently fell into disrepair. Since 1989, it has been undergoing restoration: The current owner G. Starhemberg has leased the ruin to an association that is dedicated to its renovation and use for cultural events. DI Roland Huber is considered the current "castle warden".

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The name Reichenstein is a compound castle name derived from the Middle High German root word "stein" (rock, stone) and the Middle High German adjective "rîch(e)" (mighty, powerful, noble, stately, magnificent, precious). The name thus literally means a mighty, stately castle on a rock. From these name components, the compound name Reichenstein arose through the dative place name designation (to the) rich stone, which was common in the Middle Ages.

Museum

The Waldaist-Stöckl, which served as a school until 1816, is attached to the northwest of the castle chapel. The Waldaist-Stöckl now houses a museum. It covers the Waldaist valley with its legends, its special ecology (e.g., Aist flower, freshwater pearl mussels), and its economic use (mills, timber rafting).

Cultural Events

Well-known cultural events in Reichenstein, in addition to various lecture series, include for example

• Performances by the Tragwein theater group and
• the annual Castle Open Air
• a historical castle festival currently held biennially.