Oberrain Castle

Oberrain Castle (formerly also called Seidlgut) is located in the municipality of Unken in the Zell am See district in the federal state of Salzburg (Unken 8). The castle-like building is situated on a hill above the Saalachtal valley.

Around 1400, the Seidlgut and the actual tavern were two buildings, with the hospitality license initially belonging to the Seidlgut and only later transferred to the tavern. The estate remained under the manorial lordship of the Archbishop of Salzburg until 1848. The first owners appear to be Stephan Seydl and his wife Margareth between 1400 and 1500, followed by their son Leonhard, and then his daughter Margareth, married to Peter Teysteter. Further owners included: Konrad Kramer, Christian Seydl and his son and grandson Johannes, in 1544 his daughters Ursula and Barbara with Sebastian Widmann, and in 1546/47 the sons Johann and Mathias. In 1564, Georg Entgruber was the owner of the estate. He sold the tavern in 1575 to Christian Wöhrminger and Veronika Dötlinger. He sold the Seidlgut at the end of the same year to Stephan Unterhager. His successor Konrad Leyrer, innkeeper in Unken, reunited the property. Then followed Salome Leyrer and Paul Wäggerl, in 1591 the son Hans Leyrer, in 1634 his sister Katharina Leyrer and Matheus Metzger. The estate remained in this family for about 200 years.

In 1890, the estate was sold to Johann Mayergschwenter and Johann Stainer. Already half a year later, the German fertilizer manufacturer Hermann Schmidtmann became the owner of the farm and the tavern, which had been expanded to include a bathing facility. He gave the building its current appearance. In 1923, his daughter Florence von Poser inherited the business, but incurred significant debt. In 1940, the NS-Volkswohlfahrt (Nazi People's Welfare Organization) took over the castle and converted it into a mother's convalescent home. After the end of the war, the command of the 101st US Airborne Division temporarily moved into Oberrain Castle.