Hagenau Castle

A castle, which was located near the present-day castle, is first documented as property of the naming family in 1088 ("Hartwicus de Hagenowe"). After the extinction of the Upper Austrian line of the Hagenauers, it passed to the Bishops of Passau in 1152, who gave it as a fief to a ministerial family, who also named themselves after the castle. The most famous Hagenauer was Reginbert, Bishop of Passau, who died in the Crusade of 1147. With Ludwig von Hagenau, however, this noble family also died out in 1262, so that the complex briefly came into the possession of the Ortenburgers, then into that of the Dukes of Bavaria. The castle often changed owners, for example, it was owned by the Toerring (from 1270) and the Ahamer (around 1400). In 1525, the Taimer zu Mühlheim bought it and remained owners until 1635.

In 1571, the old castle was demolished because it had been severely damaged by several fires and floods. At the same time, the present castle was built on an elevated, flood-protected site. The damming of the Inn for the Frauenstein power plant now creates the false impression that it was planned as a moated castle. In 1635, Elector Maximilian I of Bavaria gave the estate to his personal physician Ferdinand Schütz. He had the brewery and the stables built next to the castle. The Elector allowed him to use the title "von und zu Hagenau und St. Peter".