Gainfarn Castle

The first documented mention of a Rudwinus von Gainfarn dates back to 1206 in the Salbuch of Klosterneuburg Abbey, though the exact location of his then-residence, a “Feste Haus” (fortified house), remains unknown. The Hohenberger family, owners of the Gainfarn estate, moved their seat of power to Merkenstein Castle in 1448. The present-day castle was built later. After Merkenstein Castle was destroyed during the Second Turkish Siege, the manorial seat was relocated back to Gainfarn. From 1675 to 1829, both the village and Gainfarn Castle were owned by the Dietrichstein family. Joseph Carl von Dietrichstein, the first governor of the Austrian National Bank, had the castle rebuilt into its current Neoclassical form, particularly the main wing in 1816. In 1829, Joachim Eduard Count Münch-Bellinghausen acquired the estates of Gainfarn and Großau with Merkenstein. After his death, Adolph Baron von Brenner-Felsach inherited the castle in 1866, who then passed it on to his son Joachim von Brenner-Felsach. The latter became known for his world travels and the photographs he took during them. Between 1897 and 1901, the poet Hugo von Hofmannsthal was a frequent guest at the castle. In 1911, Brenner-Felsach sold the property to sawmill owner Leopold Kern, who held it until 1917.