Schloss Zellhof Castle

3km south-east of Bad Zell lies the former Zellhof Castle

Hilleprant Jörger bought the castle from the Regensburgs in 1607, together with the high jurisdiction and the bailiwick over the parish of Zell. The Jörgers mostly lived at Prandegg but used Zellhof Castle as a second residence.
As avowed Protestants, the Jörgers had to sell their entire property to Gotthard von Scherffenberg in 1631. However, he died relatively soon and his widow married Hans Reichard von Starhemberg. The Scherffenbergs and Starhembergs preferred to stay at Zellhof Castle. The "Prandegg estate" was slowly transformed into the "Zellhof estate". Starhemberg now sold Zellhof Castle to the Salburger family. Meanwhile, Prandegg Castle fell into disrepair.
In 1806, the Zellhofers (line of the Salburgers) died out. The property passed to the Counts Dietrichstein, who in turn sold Zellhof and Prandegg to the Dukes of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha in Greinburg in 1823. After the abolition of the manorial estates in 1848, the castle slowly fell into disrepair. The dukes handed the castle over to the municipality of Bad Zell, which gave it to the inhabitants for their use.
Only a few towering parts of the building still show what a beautiful structure it once was. The remaining buildings have at least been given a new roof and are protected from further decay for the time being. As the building stands now, it is no longer possible to recognise any fortifications.