Grünau Castle

Grünau Castle is a castle complex north of Ried in der Riedmark in the Upper Austrian Mühlviertel. In the 13th century, Grünau was first mentioned as a small dominion. In the 19th century, ownership changed frequently. Today, the castle is used as a farm.

The castle was first mentioned in a document around 1212. Ortolph von Volkensdorf was named as the owner. He held jurisdiction between Enns and Traun and was the feudal lord of the castle. The Volkensdorfers did not inhabit the castle but granted it as a fief. In 1437, Hans Laun von Hanstein appeared as its owner, who sold it to Hans Paltram. After Paltram's death, his widow sold the building in 1468 to Ulrich von Paumgartner. In 1483, Magdalena Paternusterer followed. Through inheritance, Grünau came into the possession of Wolfgang Tollinger. Around 1596, the dominion had only ten subjects.

Again through inheritance, Grünau Castle came into the possession of Erasmus Hack von Bornimb in 1650. Around 1700, Johann Baptist von Riesenfels bought the building, and around 1774, Ernst von Hackelsberg was the owner. Between 1800 and 1903, the owners changed frequently. 17 different owners were counted in 103 years. The owners were: Countess Maria Anna Fieger-Salburg (1800), Föls family (1804), Anton Brandstätter (1808), Josef Senge (1822), Wilhelm Freiherr von Bohm (1828), Mathäus Krembser (1829), Heinrich Bauchinger (1832), Maria von Rauchenbichler (1834), Franz Kramer (1837), Johann Arnold (1846), Franz Jenner (1851), Countess Helene von Waldstein (1855), Ludwig Flech (1879), Karl Maucha (1889), Appel family (1898), Pacher von Theinburg brothers (1899), and Hugo Sonnenberg from 1903.

In 1899, alterations were made. The tower received a new roof. Around 1936, the building came to Martin Mayr, whose descendants are still the owners today. The well-maintained castle is now in agricultural ownership.