Brandhof Castle

The Brandhof (also "Schloss Brandhof") is a very old farm at the foot of the Seebergsattel on the Mariazell road in the municipality of Gußwerk in the district of Bruck-Mürzzuschlag in Styria. It is a protected monument.

The Brandhof, owned by St. Lambrecht Abbey, was an ancient, isolated farm. It stood exactly on the border between the lordships of Mariazell and Aflenz. The farm itself was still in Mariazell territory, but most of the agricultural land was in the area of the Aflenz lordship. Around 1390, a certain Prantner was the tenant of the estate, whose name passed to the farm. The owner of the Brandhof was obliged to provide post-horse services over the 1254 m high Seebergsattel at the end of the 15th century. Archduke Johann, the younger brother of Emperor Franz II (I), acquired the farm in 1818 at an auction, where he sent Johann Hippmann as a straw man. The Archduke intended to establish a model estate for alpine cattle breeding here. For this purpose, he had a stable for 37 cows built, but for financial reasons, he initially made few changes to the modest residential house. When he inherited 200,000 guilders from Albert of Saxony-Teschen, he was able to carry out further plans. In the following six years, he had the estate expanded into a magnificent hunting lodge, largely according to his own plans. Through purchases, the property was significantly enlarged. Shortly after the acquisition, he had the farm registered as "Freigut Brandhofen" in the land register. In the newly built chapel in the castle, Archduke Johann married Anna Plochl, the daughter of the postmaster of Aussee. His brother only agreed to the marriage many years later. In 1834, Anna Plochl was granted the noble title "Freifrau von Brandhofen". Archduke Johann particularly enjoyed staying at Brandhof during the hunting season. It served him and his hunting guests as a base for chamois hunting in the Hochschwab area. His alpine garden with rare mountain plants from Europe and Asia was widely famous. In 1962, some farm buildings caught fire, but the hunting lodge was saved. It is still owned by his descendants, the Counts of Meran, today.