Laa Castle

The castle, once surrounded by a moat, originally served as a weir to fill the moats outside the city walls. It is first mentioned in documents in connection with the town as early as 1150, but was only converted into a four-winged residential castle in the 15th century. This seems to have appeared for the first time in 1413.

In the 12th century, Laa belonged to the noble family of Machland. After their extinction, it passed to the Lords of Clam-Velburg. Around 1190, Laa came into the possession of Duke Leopold V through purchase. Laa was an important border fortress against Moravia. In 1406, the Moravian knight Johann Sokol von Lamberg surprised the garrison of the fortress and devastated the surrounding area from there. Niklas Seebeck von Sebenstein had the castle converted into a residential building in 1413.

In 1482, the troops of Matthias Corvinus succeeded in capturing the town and castle after a prolonged siege. In the second half of the 16th century, the castle was already largely dilapidated, but was restored by the town in 1576/78. In 1619, it was occupied by Matthias Thurn. During the Thirty Years' War, the Swedes under General Montaigne caused considerable damage to the castle.

It remained princely property and was leased until the 19th century to the Trautson, Puchheim, Auersperg, and Liechtenstein families. Afterwards, it passed into civilian hands. In 1866, parts of the Prussian army were quartered in the castle. In 1945, artillery shelling caused major destruction. Until 2007, it was privately owned by Andreas Hofer. After years of effort, the municipality succeeded in purchasing the castle in 2007, which is considered the landmark of the city. Since 1972, it has housed the first Austrian Beer Museum.