Altenhof Castle

Altenhof Castle is a castle in Altenhof (municipality of Pfarrkirchen im Mühlkreis) in the Rohrbach district of Upper Austria. It is integrated into the Upper Mühlviertel Way of St. James.

Altenhof Castle was first mentioned in a document in 1204. The owner at that time was Wernhardus de Altinhoven. Altenhofen, like Falkenstein Castle, belonged to the dominion of the Falkensteiners, a powerful ruling family that was instrumental in developing the area north of the Danube in the 13th century. Through marriage, Falkenberg likely passed to the Witigonen and in 1289, through Duke Albrecht I of Austria, it came into the possession of the sovereign. After being taken over by the Habsburgs, Altenhofen was administered by burgraves, pledged, or given as a fief. In 1303, Leopold von Jedesberg is mentioned as burgrave.

At the beginning of the 15th century, Altenhofen came as a fief to the Jagenreuter family. In 1452, the brothers Balthasar, Siegmund, and Erasmus Tagenreuter sold one third of the property to the Melabrunner family. The last of this family was Dankwart Melabrunner († 1475, buried in the church of Pfarrkirchen). From 1485 to 1602, the Hörleinsperger family were the feudal lords. After the death of Ulrich (IV.) Herleinsperger, it came into the possession of the Counts of Salburg in 1602, who united it with Falkenstein and also rebuilt it.

In 1682, the castle completely burned down and was rebuilt in its current form by Count Johann Reichard von Salburg. A chapel was also built, which was consecrated in 1708 in honor of St. Mary. In 1724, the castle and chapel were again destroyed by fire, but subsequently rebuilt. The Baroque castle church is considered the largest private castle church in Austria and is richly decorated with stucco inside. The castle chapel is dedicated to St. Joseph and the Blessed Virgin of Mount Carmel.