Burg Neuhaus

Burg Neuhaus stands in Sankt Martin im Mühlkreis, Austria, and was established in the Middle Ages, its early occupation linked to a fortified house used by the bishops of Passau before development by regional medieval lords.

The site probably took its main form in the 13th century, although a fortified house associated with the bishops appears in records of the 12th century and is connected with falconry. In the 14th century the complex was rebuilt and enlarged. At that time a strong shield wall and a substantial stone tower were added. The castle passed into the hands of the counts von Schaunberg, who were responsible for protecting traffic on the Danube and for levying tolls. During the disputes known as the Schaunberg feud the castle endured sieges and fought off attacks in 1381, 1386 and 1389. After these events the counts acknowledged Duke Albrecht III and lost the right to collect tolls on the river.

In the late 15th century Burg Neuhaus was taken by Duke Georg the Rich of Bavaria-Landshut in 1481. After the Landshut War of Succession the emperor Maximilian I claimed the property and thereafter the site was frequently pledged by Austrian rulers as security. In the 16th century the old fortress was altered into a more residential complex when a forecourt was added and living quarters were inserted into defensive walls. From that century onward local people used the castle as a refuge during Ottoman incursions.

The estate changed hands several times. In 1537 it passed to the Sprinzenstein family, who received it as a fief in 1565 and obtained full ownership in 1591. During the Peasant War of 1626 the castle was besieged, taken and plundered; the owner Johann Florian von Sprinzenstein was captured and held prisoner. In 1729 the property came by marriage to the counts of Thurn und Taxis, and in the same year southern and eastern fortifications were taken down and narrow defensive slits were replaced by larger windows, giving the complex a more palace-like appearance. Eduard Planck von Planckenburg acquired Burg Neuhaus in 1868 and carried out restoration and reconstruction. The estate passed by marriage to the Plappart (von Leenheer) family in 1920, who remain the owners. The castle survived both World War I and World War II without damage. More recent work included repairs carried out in 2007, while parts of the complex remain unused and weathered. Today the site continues as a private, continuously inhabited country residence with limited public access.