The Grünbacher family and the history of the Übersteinerhof
The Übersteinerhof in Saalen near St. Lorenzen is first mentioned in a document from 1383 and has belonged to our family since 1917. Since 2004 we have welcomed guests to our holiday apartments and look after them personally, from the first enquiry to departure.
-
Luise Grünbacher
Host
Luise is your contact from the first enquiry to departure. She helps you choose the right apartment and is happy to share tips for day trips in the area.
-
Josef Grünbacher
Farmer
Josef looks after the barn and the animals. At feeding time you are welcome in the barn.
-
Elias Grünbacher
Son
Elias is Josef and Luise’s son. He helps his parents in the barn and with looking after the guests.
A farm with over 600 years of history
The Übersteinerhof is a solitary farm high above the Gader gorge, close to the language border and right on the old Enneberg road. Until 1892 it was the main link between the Puster Valley and the Gader Valley (Val Badia).
People have lived here for a long time: traces of a prehistoric settlement in Hintersaalen date back more than 2,000 years. Today you spend your holiday here in one of our holiday apartments in the Puster Valley, on a farm with animals.
Chronicle of the Übersteinerhof
-
1383
First recorded mention
A deed of sale for the Gschlierer farm further up the valley describes it as “Kasilier gelegen endhalb Ybelstain”.
-
1458
Scene of a power struggle
In the conflict between Sonnenburg Abbey under Abbess Verena von Stuben and Sigismund “the Rich in Coin”, ruler of Tyrol, on one side and the Prince-Bishop of Brixen, Cardinal Nicholas of Cusa, on the other, 50 farmers from Enneberg are said to have been killed by the bishop’s mercenaries near the farm on 5 April 1458. A memorial plaque still commemorates the event.
-
c. 1580–1670
The Übersteiners
The early owners took the farm’s name as their surname: Matthäus Übersteiner around 1580, later Leonhard Übersteiner; in 1635 and 1638 children of Jakob Übersteiner of Saalen were baptised. The name is recorded at the farm until 1670.
-
1697–1797
The Gröber family
Peter Gröber owned the farm from 1697, followed in 1742 by his son Georg, who is listed as owner in the 1779 land register; that same year the farm received house number 12. Georg Gröber died in 1797 at the then rare age of 83.
-
1798–1847
Margareth Pirchner holds the farm together
After the death of her husband Josef Schifferegger in 1820, Margareth Pirchner ran the farm with her children. In 1827 mudslides destroyed much of the fields, and in 1831 the outbuilding had to make way for the widening of the Enneberg road. Her son Georg Schifferegger later took over.
-
c. 1870
The Pider family from Welschellen
Franz Pider bought the Übersteiner estate and handed it to his son of the same name in 1898, who lost his life in the First World War. In 1915 Johann Purdeller and Johann Mutschlechner became joint owners.
-
1917
The farm passes to the Grünbacher family
Magdalena Ellecosta, married to Johann Grünbacher, bought the farm. It has stayed in the same family ever since.
-
1983
Josef Grünbacher takes over
The current owner, Josef Grünbacher, took over the Übersteinerhof.
-
2004
The first guests
Since 2004 we have rented out holiday apartments on the farm and shared farm life with our guests.
Guest reviews
