Bergheim Castle

Bergheim Castle is located in the municipality of Feldkirchen an der Donau in the district of Urfahr-Umgebung in Upper Austria (Bergheimer Straße 7).

Bercheim is first mentioned in 1111. In 1160, Engelbert von Blankenberg, whose ancestral castle was near Neufelden, donated a manor farm in Berchaim to the St. Nikola monastery near Passau. After the extinction of the imperial-free Blankenbergers, the Witigonen took over their property around 1190. Wok von Rosenberg transferred, among other things, two hides near Percheim to the Prince-Bishopric of Passau around 1260. The farm mentioned around 1160 could have been the manor farm of the noble seat "Perkchaim", first mentioned in 1415. Further mentions of Bergheim date from 1316 by a Seyfrid von Perkhaim. In 1415, Thoman Geizerstätter (Geutzenstetter) sold his seat Bergheim to Stephan Kammerer von Kammerhof. From the Kammerers, Bergheim came as a dowry of Christine Kammerer in 1635 to Karl Fieger von Hirschberg. Under the Counts Fieger, Bergheim was converted into a country castle. Through the marriage of Countess Maria Anna Fieger to Count Reichart Salburg in 1787, they came into possession of Bergheim. In 1803, the castle was sold to Count Christoph Lehrbach. In 1812, Count Anton Gundacker von Starhemberg acquired the lordship of Bergheim. In 1867, Baron Viktor von Pereira-Arnstein († 1902) bought the castle from Prince Camillo von Starhemberg; under him, the castle was converted into a representative country estate. He, in turn, sold the property in 1890 to Baron James Hirsch-Gereuth († 1896). In this year, the widow Zenaide von Hirsch-Gereuth came to Bergheim; in 1909, she founded a foundation for the Archduchy of Upper Austria with the purpose of establishing an agricultural academy for children of noble families from Upper Austria and Bavaria after her death († 1909 in Paris), which was to bear the name "Baron James de Hirsch". The legal successor from 1918 was the State of Upper Austria.

In 1921/22, a domestic science school for farmer's daughters was established in Bergheim Castle, followed by a one-year rural women's school in 1938. During the Second World War, the school was closed in 1943. The building then served as a primary school, kindergarten, refugee accommodation, and for housing Russian civilians. In 1946, school operations resumed as an agricultural domestic science school. Today, the 3-year technical school - specializing in rural domestic science - is housed here. In addition, the castle also serves as the registry office for the municipality.

The land ownership of the Bergheim state estate was sold in 2000 to Hans Arthofer from Hartkirchen, who leased a large part of the areas to local farmers.