Dornach Castle

The only castle in the Feistritz Valley is the Dornach fortress. It is still preserved today as an impressive castle worth seeing. It stands on a boulder on the steeply sloping river valley and looks out over the landscape with its mighty round tower.

Dornach was first mentioned in a document in 1416 as the fortress of Hans Lasberger, but is probably older. It was rebuilt around 1400 by the brothers Hans and Wenzel Lasperger. The Hussite turmoil in 1427 caused severe damage. When Hans the Lasperger then sold his entire property in Lasberg in 1436, it was acquired together with the Dornachhof and 15 subjects by Simon Volkra, Schaffer zu Freistadt. After 1450, the Volkra family built today's round tower with a raised entrance, as can still be seen from the architectural details (ogee-arched tower door in the upper part, collar stones for a gallery in the defence storey). In 1505, the entire castle complex and the associated property came under the rule of Veit von Zelking in Weinberg, who bought it for 2350 guilders. After 1506, the Zelking family had the present outwork built, which once had three roundels (shell towers), similar to the towers at Weinberg.

As the castle ceased to be an independent seat of the nobility, it became less and less important. Even though the subjects of the 140 Feuerstätten were still united in the "Amt Dornach" for some time, only the Meierhof and the associated estates were of interest. The castle became increasingly dilapidated and by 1650 it had already "completely collapsed" as a ruin. The stones were often carried away to build houses. It was not until 1821 that Count Josef Thürheim von Weinberg forbade the demolition of the walls. The castle was saved from complete decay by Franz Burgermeister from Freistadt, who acquired it in 1963, restored it with great skill and flair and gave it a new lease of life with knights' games at the "Lasberg Culture Days". Battles between Dornach and Weinberg are said to have taken place near the mouth of the Feistritz-Feldaist, as finds of earlier weapons and pieces of armour suggest.

His Meierhof or "Dornachhof", today the Hartmayr house at Siegelsdorf 12, was always closely linked to Dornach. Originally owned by the Lasberger (until 1430), Volkra (1430-1505) and Zelking (1505-1623) families, the large farm passed to the List family (1623-1737) and the Hartmayr family (1737-1846). The "Hartmayrhof" has been owned by the Blöchl family since 1846.

Today's modern farmstead still reveals its great past in its old wing. Stephan Edler, who was abbot of the Cistercian monastery of Baumgartenberg from 1419-1451, came from Dornach.