Eberau Castle

Eberau Castle (in Hungarian: Monyorokerek) is a moated castle and part of the South Burgenland village of Eberau in the lower Pinka valley, near the border crossing to Hungary (Eberau-Szentpeterfa).

In 1221, Eberau was first mentioned in a deed of gift for the St. Gotthard Monastery. Afterwards, Stephan from the Ják family received permission from Andreas II of Heder to transfer the villages of Pernau, Eberau, Hetfőhely, Perwolff and Kölked to the monastery.

Eberau Castle is documented as early as the 13th and 14th centuries. In 1297, Eberau was assigned as a separate dominion to the Héder and Hedervar families, whose ancestor was Hedrich. In 1369, Louis I confirmed the Ellerbacher, who originated from Swabia, in possession of the dominion.

Around 1400, Berthold von Ellerbacher built an extensive village fortification with a mighty moated castle in place of the old castle and the village transformation. The village transformation is the only one in Austria from the period around 1400. The then moated castle soon came into the possession of Archbishop Tamás Bakócz of Esztergom, who bequeathed the property to his nephew, Count Erdődy. Monyorokerek is also found in the title of the Counts Erdődy de Monyorokerek es Monoszlo.