Burg Stein, Reichersberg, Austrian castle

Burg Stein is a ruined hilltop castle on the Minaberg, about 2 km downstream from Reichersberg in Upper Austria. Its flat plateau covers roughly half a hectare, now partly obscured by trees. To the northwest the ground drops steeply to the Inn; to the northeast a deep ditch faces a stream flowing from the Minaberg to the Inn; to the south a ditch and two ramparts remain visible.

The castle was first recorded in 1085 when built by Albuin I, a relative of the monastery's founder. In December 1153, Duke Heinrich II conquered and destroyed it following disputes over land ownership between the castle lords and the church.

The castle gave its name to the Lords of Stein, a noble family whose members held high church posts: Arnulf, Erkenbert and a son became monks at Reichersberg, while Ulrich and Dietrich were canons at Reichersberg and Passau. Their feuds with the monastery over the Münsteuer fief shaped the region's history.

The flat castle area covers about half a hectare and is partly obscured by trees. To the northwest the ground drops steeply to the Inn; to the northeast a deep ditch runs toward a small stream flowing from the Minaberg into the Inn. In the south a ditch and two ramparts are still visible.

Archaeological finds suggest the site was occupied during Roman times, with coins from emperors such as Domitian and Antoninus Pius discovered there. This indicates the location held strategic value across centuries, with people present long before the medieval castle was built.