History

Schloss Saalhof

Schloss Saalhof is one of the oldest residences in Pinzgau.

During the renovation work, one could see significantly older foundations and parts of the wall on the north and east side, on which the castle in its current form was built around 1600 . The interior fittings and the wood paneling date from 1625, there is a wood engraving here.

According to the intelligence journal of 1810, the presumably first documentary mention was as early as the 11th century : “…then Saalburg (now Saalhof),
which, along with the Lichtenberg Fortress, was the home of the counts, …”

The “Gut zu Saal” was originally an archbishop’s fiefdom – Konrad the devil held it first. After him follows a long line of owners – among them courageous Kempen with just as adventurous names, such as Otto der Eisenstang.

In 1840, Johann Zauntner, a direct ancestor of our Rieder family, acquired the castle and estate, and it has been family-owned ever since. The coat of arms above is the coat of arms of the noble owners from 1661.

In the castle itself you will find many curiosities from earlier times – although much has not been preserved, including the most beautiful paneling in the castle, which was sold to the Bavarian National Museum in Munich and did not survive the Second World War. It is also important for children to discover a lot of history, especially old farming equipment, in a playful way in our 300 square meter vaulted entrance hall.

A walk through the castle is still like a journey back in time to the Middle Ages: the three huge “Zehent-/Traidkästen” (grain boxes), which are located under the roof in the former so-called granary, bear witness to its rural past. Around 1851 the castle is said to have even had a house chapel with its own measuring license.

Since 1993, Schloss Saalhof, the old wayside cross and the Maierhaus (the former caretaker’s house) have been listed as particularly valuable cultural monuments.

A now famous child of the Pinzgau, the painter Anton Faistauer fell in love with the view of the castle against the grandiose mountain backdrop and frequently chose Schloss Saalhof as the subject for his paintings.

Read more about Schloss Saalhof on Wikipedia “