Burg Oberranna

Burg Oberranna History

There is little evidence of the origins of Ranna or the castle of Oberranna, but its existence dates back to the 1070s, because in that year the lords of Grie bought the castle and the area of ​​Ranna. The new lords were also called "von Ranna or Rannah" and wore a golden griffin on a black field in their coat of arms. They had come from Bavaria in the wake of Rotgau's powerful Formbach counts. His first known representative is the successor of the pilgrim von Grie-Rauhnah, Waldo von Reun, who testified during a serious illness that his property should fall to the sovereign Prince Count Leopold III, the saint, after his death. Contrary to expectations, he soon recovered and changed his will in favor of his wife and daughter after his marriage. Leopold III now called a trial at his residence, Gars Castle, and the discussion went to his advantage. After Waldo's death, Leopold gave some of his possessions to his sister Gerbirg, then moved to Ranna and Purk in 1120. In addition to Ranna's castle, he built an independent Romanesque fortified church.

In 1120 a judicial meeting was held again at the castle of Gars, in which Pellegrino II, son of Pellegrino I, returned back to the property. So there is a gap of over 100 years.

The marriage of Agnes von Ranna with Ulrich von Neidegg in 1370 is documented. The connection of the two noble families also brought a new coat of arms: the golden griffin in the lower left and lower right (the coat of arms of the Ranna-Grie) and top right and bottom left three red scallops on a silver background (the Neidegger crest). With the beginning of his legacy, his son, Hans von Neidegg, established the starting point for the reign of Neidegger on Ranna in the 13th century. It lasted. In 1560 Georg von Neidegg expanded the castle to its current shape and size. The Neidegger often covered high charges. The last Neidegger mentioned by name is Jonas in 1617. The owners changed rapidly in the following period. At the end of the 18th century, Oberranna took possession of the Austrian imperial family. In 1901 Göttweig Abbey purchased important parts of the property, while Baron Hammerstein bought the castle in 1905. His wife, actress Anny Diekens, became impoverished after her death and had to sell piece by piece of furniture. More recently, he even moved the altar of the castle church to the Vienna Dorotheum. Eventually the castle was auctioned. In 1930 he acquired Laurent Deleglise. It triggered the altar and began extensive restoration work, during which the crypt was discovered. He made a great contribution to Mühldorf because he offered work to many people in the difficult times of the 1930s. He was buried in the cemetery of Niederanna and one of his last wishes was to be buried with a view of the castle. His widow lived completely alone in the castle until 1981. The castle has been privately owned since 1982 and has been carefully restored with great skill and with the advice of the Federal Office of Monuments.