Losenheim Castle

The sparsely preserved remains of Losenheim Castle are located on an isolated rocky spur north of the hamlet of Losenheim, about 5 km from Puchberg am Schneeberg. Due to its exposed location and presumably because of the early abandonment of the castle as a manorial seat, only modest wall remains are visible. These are now integrated into an ensemble of extensive restoration work, as the entire complex has been reconstructed by private hands since the 1990s.

At the beginning of the 13th century, the Gleissenfeld-Puchbergers (from the Gleissenfeld/Scheiblingkirchen area - formerly Puchberg - in the Bucklige Welt) appeared in the Puchberg valley basin, establishing their rule with the construction of Puchberg Castle, Losenheim Castle, and another complex on the Romaikogel.

The Losenheim family is documented from the 13th to the 14th century; Wulfing von Losenheim is mentioned in 1220, and Dietmar von Losenheim in 1222 and 1225. They belonged to the ministeriales of the Babenberg Duke Leopold VI. Despite the documentary mention of the Losenheimers in the first half of the 13th century, the construction of the castle can be assumed to have taken place in the late 12th century based on dated archaeological finds.

Before September 3, 1264, Rüdiger von Losenheim certified that he had transferred two and a half manses and two gardens in Höflein to Heiligenkreuz Abbey. Witnesses included Wisento, Rüdiger von Losenheim's vassal, Eberhard von Puchberg - Rüdiger von Losenheim's nephew, and Tuote - Rüdiger von Losenheim's wife.

On September 3, 1264, Rüdiger von Losenheim certified that he had subsequently transferred to Heiligenkreuz Abbey the advowson right over a rent in Höflein, which he had previously reserved.

In 1278, an Otto von Losenheim is mentioned. In 1304, Johann von Losenhaim renounced three pounds of pfennig rent in Höflein in favor of Heiligenkreuz Abbey, which his father had sold to the same. From the middle of the 14th century, the ownership of the Losenheim lordship coincided with that of Puchberg.