Utzenaich

The former Utzenaich Castle is a moated castle in the municipality of the same name in the district of Ried im Innkreis, Upper Austria.

Utzenaich was the seat of the Utzenaicher family. A deed of gift from Vornbach Monastery from 1140 states that Pilgrimus de huceneiche donated his property near heldungensperge (which is today's hamlet of Helmannberg near Aurolzmünster) to the monastery. The Utzenaichers were followed by the Stockers (Stocket). Kaspar Stocker, who appeared in 1400, and his two sisters Katharina and Dorothea already called themselves "auf Utzenaich". A Heinrich Stocker, active around 1420 in the Passau market of Obernberg am Inn, was probably a son of Kaspar. On July 14, 1468, Hainrich Stokcher zu Vtznaich sealed a document. Heinrich's heir was his eldest son Sebastian. He is mentioned in a promissory note from July 19, 1492. Sebastian was also a caretaker and castle guard at the now defunct bridge tower in Schärding. Since there were only female successors in Sebastian's family in the following generations, Utzenaich passed to his brother Kaspar, district judge of Erlach. From him, the property went to his son Melchior († 1551), who called himself zu Utzenaich and Thurnholz. His youngest son Hans († 1568) took over the paternal inheritance. He was married to Maria von Trennbach from St. Martin Castle. However, the marriage remained childless. The wealthy widow († 1613) married Veit von Tattenbach († 1593) in 1575, whereby the Utzenaich property came to the Tattenbachs. Of their children, Hans Ardolf took over the maternal inheritance and expanded his property by marrying Jakoba, daughter of Baron von Tattenbach zu Exing. By Duke Maximilian of Bavaria, Hans Ardolf was elevated to the hereditary Imperial Baron status in 1623 and by Emperor Ferdinand III. to the Imperial Count status in 1637. Before his death, he had combined St. Martin Castle in Innkreis with Utzenaich Castle and Hofmark, as well as other properties (Einburg, Raab Castle, Münzkirchen, Eberschwang, Maierhof and the lordship of Valley in Upper Austria) into a Fideikommiss. Since Hans Ardolf and Jakoba died childless, the entire property passed to his nephew Gottfried Wilhelm († 1687). Gottfried Wilhelm was the founder of the older line of the Tattenbachs, in whose possession Utzenaich remained until 1802. Successors in direct line were Ferdinand Josef († 1712), Max Franz († 1762) and Josef Ferdinand († 1802). Since the latter was childless, the property passed to another branch (Wolf's line) of the Tattenbachs. After Heinrich Christian Joseph Ignatz († 1821), who also died childless, the entire property came to his cousin Count Maximilian von Arco-Valley († 1875). He was the last noble owner of Utzenaich.

The year of construction of the castle itself is unknown. However, when the associated wooden Meierhof burned down in 1689, it was already referred to as a castle; the castle itself suffered no damage in the fire. As the seat of the Utzenaichers, however, it must be much older.

After 1848, Utzenaich Castle was removed from the Fideikommiss and passed into peasant ownership. Around 1860, parts of the castle were demolished and used for house construction in the Hofmark Utzenaich.

The still preserved part of the castle is located opposite the municipal office of Utzenaich. Most of the ponds that formerly surrounded the castle were filled in 1960. A last remnant has been preserved in the form of the so-called "Winkelweiher". A previously existing tower has been built into the plinth of the courtyard wing.

Today, the former castle building and its extensions house a slaughterhouse.