Windhaag Castle - Burgruine Windhaag

Windhaag Castle - Burgruine Windhaag, Windhaag bei Perg, Upper Austria, Republic of Austria.

   Windhaag Castle, first documented in 1290 with Freitel von Windhaag and likely built around that time, remained in their possession until 1379.

   They were succeeded by the Lords of Au, shortly thereafter by the Lasberg family, and in 1395 by Konrad Schaffer and his wife Dorothea, a Freitel by birth. In 1400, the Tannbecken family inherited Windhaag and were also enfeoffed with the castle and its associated lands. Their successors as owners included Laßla Prager, Friedrich von Prag, and Lorenz Schütter, whose son inherited the castle in 1599. Due to substantial debts, he was forced to sell it in 1629. In 1630, Windhaag passed to the regional syndic, Joachim Enzmilner.

   In 1642, Enzmilner successfully dissolved the feudal bond, and Windhaag became his freehold property. He then built a new castle next to the old one. However, his only daughter, who had joined the Dominican order, had it demolished to build a church and convent in Windhaag. Only the old castle remained standing, but it too began to fall into disrepair in 1734, a process that continued until 1992.

   In 1990, the municipality of Windhaag purchased the ruins. In 1992, a working group was formed under the motto "We're saving our castle ruins," aiming to halt the complete decay of the over 700-year-old castle and make it accessible to the public once again.