Sternhaus

The Sternhaus is a medieval town house situated at Steyrer Stadtplatz 12. It features a late Baroque façade.

After a devastating town fire in 1727, the Gothic structure underwent renovations that transformed its appearance into a late Baroque style. The most notable change was the addition of a continuous bay window and five window axes on the façade. Only the gateway and the corbels of the Gothic façade were left standing.The façade effectively hides the gabled roof, giving the illusion that the building is one story taller than it actually is.Above the gateway, there are two white griffins holding a golden star. Additionally, the coats of arms of Winterl and Schoiber von Engelstein are displayed above the window.The upper part of the oriel is comprised of a gable featuring a painted relief depicting John the Baptist.The second-story windows are adorned with angels, which serve as allegorical symbols for the crown’s five senses. From left to right, the symbols are as follows: a rose represents smell, a bundle of grapes represents taste, a mandolin represents hearing, a mirror represents sight, and a serpent represents touch.The designer is most likely Gotthard Hayberger.The left side was demolished by a bomb in 1944. After the war, the building’s shell was reconstructed and restored to its original condition in 1953.The renovation took place in 1979.

The golden star located above the main entrance symbolizes the iron commerce and also functions as the name.The Schoiber coat of arms features a lion with a star, positioned above the first-floor bay window.

The property was owned by Martin Schmidinger, a merchant who served as the town judge in Steyr during the years 1433 to 1439 and 1445. References to him can be traced back to the 15th century.The home was owned by the Prandstetter and Guetbrot families in the 16th and 17th centuries. Around 1660, it came into the possession of Matthias Abele von Lilienberg, who served as the secretary of the Innerberg primary labor union. He was also a poet and court clerk of Leopold I.In the 18th and 19th centuries, the property was owned by several merchants, namely Johannes and Theresia Wimerl-Schoiber, Johann Nepomuk Stohammer, and Johann and Katharina Eberstaller.