Harrachegg Castle

The Sausal region had been owned by the Archbishops of Salzburg since the 10th century. Harrachegg, located on the northwest slope of the Demmerkogel, served as the administrative seat and official building of the mining court.

Nothing remains of the old "Berghaus" Thunegg, named after Archbishop Count Thun (1654-1668). The Höch primary school stands in its place today. The associated wine cellar, once a depot for mining rights (wine or must tax), was built in 1648, according to a coat of arms stone above the gate, out of joy over the end of the Thirty Years' War. In 1680, "the princely court and mining rights house Thunegg in Sausal, at the top of the Zwickl on the Kalchriegel in St. Andreas parish" is mentioned.

Under the reign of Archbishop Franz Anton Count Harrach (1709-1727), the new official building, the charming Baroque castle Harrachegg, was built. The estate description of 1805 lists the mining court house Harrachegg and the old Berghaus Thunegg.

This dominion, located in Sausal, is usually referred to as "Berggericht Harrachegg" or "Bergamt Sausal". It was divided into a front and a rear mining office, counted no less than 1324 dominical mining and interest holdings in 1805, and was an integral part of the archiepiscopal-Salzburg dominion of Deutschlandsberg until 1812. The subjects' lands were scattered across 47 vineyards and hills. The wine tithe represented the most important income.

In the course of secularizations, Harrachegg came under state administration in 1803 and 1805, respectively, and in 1812, as a separate dominion, to Moritz Count von Friehs and subsequently to the Princes of Liechtenstein. After several changes of ownership, it belonged to the Caritas Association in Graz, and since 1987, it has been owned by the municipality of St. Andrä-Höch. The castle has been revitalized and now offers space for 6 families. The castle cellar has been renovated by the Sausaler Wein- und Kulturkeller cultural and leisure association and is available for rent for events.