Hinterhaus Castle

The Hinterhaus ruin is an almost thousand-year-old fortification in Spitz an der Donau, Lower Austria, on an outcrop of the Jauerling. It was first mentioned in 1243. The relic, located in the Wachau region, lies near the "Tausendeimerberg" (Thousand-Bucket Mountain), a vineyard that yields a certain amount of grapes each year, and on a rocky ridge of the so-called Hausberg, part of the Jauerling massif. The "Riesling" grape variety originated nearby.

The castle complex is clearly divided into 3 separate parts: the lower-lying northeastern outer bailey, the main castle, which occupies the largest part of the rocky ridge, and the southwestern outer bailey.

The oldest component - the main castle - already existed in the 12th century. In the 13th and 14th centuries, the Knights of Spitz ruled this castle, who in turn were subject to the Kuenringer family.

An Austrian excursion tip states: "Many legends and stories surround the Hinterhaus ruin. It is said to be haunted to this day. The ghost of the deceased Adelheid, wife of Heinrich the Iron, appears every year on the anniversary of her husband's death at the Hinterhaus ruin in the Wachau. Heinrich married a new woman shortly after her death, even though a year of mourning had to be observed back then. Shortly thereafter, he also died. Many saw it as punishment for his disgraceful behavior."