History

Schloss Saalhof

Schloss Saalhof is one of the oldest estates in Pinzgau.

During the renovation work, significantly older foundations and wall sections could be seen on the north and east sides, onto which Schloss was built in its current form around 1600. The interior fittings and the wood paneling date from 1625, there is a wood engraving here.

According to the Intelligenzblatt of 1810, the presumably first documented mention was already in 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 Zehentner, already a direct ancestor of our Rieder family, acquired Schloss and the estate; since then, it has been family-owned. The coat of arms above is the coat of arms of the noble owners from 1661.

Within Schloss itself, one finds many curiosities from earlier times – even if much has not been preserved, including the most beautiful paneling of Schloss, which was sold to the Bavarian National Museum in Munich and did not survive World War II. 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 Schloss still feels like a journey back in time to the Middle Ages: The three huge “tithe/grain chests” (grain chests), which are located under the roof in the former so-called granary, bear witness to its agricultural past. Around 1851, Schloss is said to have even had a house chapel with its own mass license.

Since 1993, Schloss Saalhof, the old wayside cross, and the Maierhaus (the former administrator’s house) have been under federal monument protection as particularly valuable cultural monuments.

A now famous son of Pinzgau, the painter Anton Faistauer, fell in love with the view of Schloss against the magnificent mountain backdrop and frequently chose Schloss Saalhof as a motif for his paintings.

Read more about Schloss Saalhof on Wikipedia »