Stixenstein Castle

Burg Stixenstein is a medieval hilltop castle above the Sierning valley in Niederösterreich. It stands on a wooded rise reached by a road that once carried a dam, still visible where the road passes through. The castle sits under official protection as a historic monument.

The castle was probably built in the 12th century by the Stuchse family, who later took the name Trautmannsdorf. After a fire in 1347 it was rebuilt and run by the regional ruler. In 1487 it was captured by Hungarian forces under Matthias Corvinus but returned to Habsburg control three years later. Emperor Maximilian I gave it to Marx Treitzsaurwein in 1520, and it passed through several noble hands before the Hoyos family restored parts of the structure in the 16th century. Two serious fires in the 18th and 19th centuries left the building partly ruined until modern restoration began in the late 20th century.

Visitors today find a partly restored medieval complex used for events. A local association organises guided tours and concerts inside the walls. The courtyard and some vaulted rooms show the castle’s layered history. From the terrace there are wide views over the surrounding hills and the old dam site below. The castle is set in quiet countryside, reached by a lane between Sieding and Puchberg am Schneeberg.