Au Castle

The origins of Schloss Au likely date back to around 1100, when it was built as a defensive castle and served as a fief of the Lords of Schloss Ort. In 1363, a Wernhart der Awer is mentioned, and the name Au first appears in documents in 1446. The castle changed hands multiple times, including the families Theuerwang, Pinter, Raidt, and Wiellinger, who subsequently called themselves “von Au.” In 1653, the abbot of the Benedictine monastery of Lambach, Placidus Hieber von Greifenfels, acquired the estate, which thereafter served as a retreat and hunting lodge. After the Napoleonic Wars, it was sold to Franz Gebhard Hofbauer in 1820 and subsequently changed owners several times. Since 1968, Schloss Au has been owned by the Ruttnig family. In 2011, a fire destroyed the knight's hall, caused by a chimney stove.