Location: Spitz Map
Found: 12th century
The ruins of the Hinterhaus, also known as the Oberhaus, are
almost a thousand years old fortifications in Spitz an der
Donau, Lower Austria, on a foothill of the Jauerling. It was
first mentioned in 1243. The ruins in the Wachau region are near
the "Tausendeimerberg", a vineyard that yields a certain amount
of grapes every year, and on a rocky ridge of the so-called
local mountain, part of the Jauerling stock. The grape variety
"Riesling" has its origins here.
The hilltop castle is
clearly divided into three separate parts: the lower bailey to
the north-east, the main castle, which occupies most of the
rocky ridge, and the bailey to the south-west.
However,
the oldest part – the main castle – already existed in the 12th
century. In the 13th and 14th centuries, the Knights of Spitz
ruled this castle, which in turn was subject to the Kuenringers.
An Austrian excursion tip says: "Many legends and stories
are entwined around the ruins of the Hinterhaus. The ruins are
said to be haunted to this day. The spirit of the deceased
Adelheid, Mrs. Heinrich des Eisernen, appears every year on the
anniversary of her husband's death on the ruins of the
Hinterhaus in the Wachau. Heinrich married a new woman shortly
after her death, although at that time one had to observe a year
of mourning. Shortly afterwards he died too. Many saw it as
punishment for his shameful behavior.”
The castle is originally the center of the Hft. Spitz and from 1242
in feudal possession of the Bavarians. dukes. It was first mentioned in
1243 in a Niederaltaich record as "castrum in monte". As feudal bearers
of the Bavarians, the Kuenringers own Dukes of the two Spitzer castles,
Hinterhaus and Niederhaus. In 1355, Hinterhaus passed to Mr. v. Wallsee,
1385 to the Maissauer. In 1409 the castle was destroyed, but rebuilt and
before 1440 came into the hands of Mr. v. Neidegg. In 1463 the castle
was besieged again, this time in vain, but in 1491 it was taken by
Hungarian troops. In 1504 the Bavarians fall. Possessions to the
Austrian sovereigns. After the end of the Bavarian. Hft. uninhabited,
the castle was already referred to as "Burgstall" around 1500. In 1507
it came to Eitelfritz v. Zollern, 1518 to Bernhard Kirchberger. In the
1st H. d. 16th century is the refortification of the complex, a reaction
to the first Turkish invasions. In 1590 the property passed to Fr.
Matthias Teufel, in the same year to Hans Georg v. Kuefstein. In 1620
the castle was destroyed and probably never repaired. From 1646 owned by
the Geyer v. Osterburg, owned by the Abensperg-Traun family from 1667.
Owned by Dietrichstein from 1674 until the basic relief. During the
French wars of 1805 and 1809, the building was again destroyed. In 1871
the facility came to the Wiener Bürgerspitalfonds, in 1918 to the War
Damaged Fund and later to the Austrian. federal forests. The ruins have
been owned by MG Spitz since 1970 and have been managed by the Spitz
tourist office since 1977.
(G.R.)
Following the topography, a regular, elongated castle complex was
created, approx. 75 m long and max. 20 m wide. The terraced arrangement
is due to the rock spur descending from SW to NE. On the central,
highest terrace is the castellated main castle of approx. 30 x 16 m with
the integrated, square keep on the mountain-side, western corner. The
tower, which has an average side length of 7.20 m, is accessed from the
1st floor by stairways in the thickness of the wall. At the northern and
southern corners of the tower, the zones of attack of the bering, which
only encompasses the corners, can be seen in the plaster. The original
gate system can be reconstructed next to the tower in the mountain-side
SW Bering, where indications of an early gate construction can be seen.
The shape of the fort and the structure of the masonry (storage,
coarse-block quarry stone masonry) date the components correspondingly
to the time when the castle was first mentioned, to the 2nd V. d. 13th
century A complex, multi-phase group of buildings with 2 wings covers
the northern courtyard area. The buildings of the 14th - 16th centuries
integrate parts of the high medieval palace of the 13th century that are
interlocked with the Bering. In a room northeast. of the keep lies the
deep well or cistern shaft that is secured today.
Extensive
expansions followed from the late Middle Ages. Along the SE side of the
stronghold, a small, 3-part ward was probably built as early as the 14th
century with the younger access situation being relocated to this side.
In subsequent construction phases, the valley-side, deeper terraces are
included by the spacious north-eastern bailey. The planned, regular,
pre-bastion fortification has 2 flankable round towers designed for
firearms on the north-eastern side. Gate side and a small commercial
building on the northern rock terrace. This expansion is possible. as a
result of one of the acts of war of the 15th century. originated and in
the 2nd H. d. 15th century to date. A little later, on the mountain
side, the neck ditch is built over by a regular, small enclosure, which,
like on the valley side, has 2 slim round towers that can be flanked. In
contrast to the functional NE outer bailey, the hillside system is
already characterized by traditionally designed early Renaissance
defense elements. Special detailed forms, such as the decorative
battlements that can only be used to a limited extent, funnel slits for
handguns and the slim, overhanging form of the round towers date this
extension to the 1st half of the 19th century. 16th century, as a
reaction to the first Turkish invasions. div. Terraces and walls on the
rise, north-east. of the castle can be traced back to the outlying works
of the Middle Ages, which were later heavily modified and built over by
vineyard terraces.
(G.R.)