Forstern Castle

Forstern Castle is located in the Forstern district of the municipality of Burgkirchen in the Braunau district.

The castle is first mentioned in documents in the traditions of the Prince-Bishopric of Passau between 1013 and 1045. A Dietrich de Vorstarn is mentioned in 1180 in the Ranshofen Tradition Codex, much later an entry for Forstern is found in a document from February 3, 1358 (with the "honorable man Her Conradt der Notleich von Vornstorn"). In 1383, a Chunrat Neusslinger auf Forstern is mentioned, and in 1403, Steffan der Egker, judge of Weilhart, is documented here. In 1484, a dispute is said to have erupted over the manor between Georg Neyslinger, Stephan Ekker (parish priest of Aurolzmünster), Lienhart Pugenhover, and Adam Seybersdorffer. The noble seat of Forstern was listed as a Hofmark in the Landtafel of 1490 and possessed lower jurisdiction.

In 1504, Duke Albrecht of Bavaria-Munich gave the Hofmark to the city of Braunau as compensation for war damages suffered in the Landshut War of Succession. In 1536, the property was dismembered and liberated. From then on, the mayor and councilors of Braunau appointed a feoffee from among themselves to administer the Forstern seat. The first feoffee was council member Konrad Stadler. Around 1597, Karl Eisenreich is mentioned as administrator. The enfeoffment document of February 7, 1838, was issued for Josef Schüdl after the death of Josef Moser by Emperor Ferdinand I. The last enfeoffment of the same Josef Schüdl was carried out by Franz Joseph I on October 2, 1850.

In 1850, the manor was sold by the city of Braunau to Johann Futschik. Other owners included Peter Endl (1901–1904), Anton Simeth (until 1913), Georg Baier (until 1953), and then the family of Josef and Theresia Zöhner is named as owners.