Burgruine Stauf

Burgruine Stauf stands on a narrow ridge 531 metres above sea level above Haibach ob der Donau in Upper Austria. Built in the 12th century by Wernhard de Stove, it began as a family seat before the Schaunbergs moved their main home to nearby Burg Schaunberg. Over the centuries the castle passed through the hands of the Liechtensteins, Jörgers and Harrachs, each leaving their mark on the crumbling walls. By the 16th century a fire had left the structure uninhabitable, and the Liechtensteins built a new residence at Aschach an der Donau instead. The site’s strategic position let it control the only two natural routes along the right bank of the Danube. During the Schaunberger Fehde in the late 14th century Duke Albrecht III of Austria besieged Stauf twice but failed to take it until a later campaign. After heavy damage the castle was placed under Austrian administration and later returned to the Schaunbergs. A succession of named Pfleger managed the estate until the family died out in 1559. Visitors now reach the ruin along marked paths from the north or east. An observation platform on the bergfried’s roof looks down the Donautal and, on clear days, as far as Linz. To the south-east the ruins of Burg Schaunberg appear on the horizon. Below, protected woods of oak, beech and hornbeam cover the slopes of the Zeilerbachgraben and Aschachtal. The place has inspired poems by Richard Billinger and Herbert Emmerstorfer, adding another layer to its quiet presence.