Scharnstein Old Castle

The castle was probably built in the first half of the 12th century. Its builders were the Counts of Rebgau, who are also known as the Counts of Wels-Lambach. Count Albert of Rebgau is first mentioned in 1160.

After the extinction of the Rebgau family, the castle became princely property. A Heinrich von Scharnstein appears in documents in 1204. Between 1278 and 1335, the castle belonged as a fief to the Polheimers, who originally belonged to the ministerials of the Rebgau family. Gundacker von Polheim sold half of the castle to Reinprecht von Wallsee in 1335. However, he did not reside here and had it administered by burgraves. The other half of the dominion was gifted by Martin von Polheim to Kremsmünster Abbey in 1376.

In 1483, the Wallsee family died out in the male line with Reinprecht V. Half of the castle passed via Katharina von Wallsee first to Bernhard von Scherffenberg and then to Siegmund von Schaunberg. In 1492, Christoph Jörger acquired the property. However, he sold it just five years later to Emperor Maximilian I. Around 1500, Maximilian had Scharnstein expanded as a hunting base and administered by caretakers. King Ferdinand handed over the dominion to his cupbearer Wolfgang Oeder in 1520. He was succeeded as pledge lord by Johann Fernberger. When the castle was incinerated by a fire the following year, a reconstruction was abandoned, and it was left to its fate. After the redemption of the pledge, Scharnstein came back to the Jörger family in 1584, who lost it again during the Counter-Reformation.

In 1634, Kremsmünster Abbey also acquired the second part of the dominion. In 1794, the ruin was used as a quarry. Only in 1960 did restoration of the remaining walls begin. Since then, the Cultural and Local History Association Scharnstein has been dedicated to securing the ruin. It still belongs to Kremsmünster Abbey.