Poneggen Castle

Poneggen was first documented in 1297 as an estate of Hermann von Ponke and confirmed as a fief in 1307. Around 1380, Hans der Lasberger is mentioned as the owner. In 1537, the property came into the possession of Hans and Michael Schätzl and Andre Stockinger through Hans Wankhammer, who sold it to the brothers Hans, Lassla, and Andreas Prager in 1538. In 1598, Friedrich Prager bequeathed the castle to his wife Elisabeth Freiin von Roggendorf. As she was a Protestant and residing abroad, her brother-in-law Wilhelm von Starhemberg leased the castle to Christoph Ernst Kölnböck von Ottsdorf in 1623. From 1635, it belonged to Count Leonhard Helfried von Meggau. After his death in 1644, the castles of the region passed to Susanne von Meggau, who brought them into her marriage with Count Heinrich Wilhelm von Starhemberg. In 1651, Johann Jakob Offner took possession of the castle, which almost completely burned down in 1655 but was rebuilt. Later, Count Johann Ferdinand von Salburg united the lordships in Schwertberg. Count Lobgott von Kuefstein and Count Grundacker von Thürheim followed as owners.