Schärding is a town in northern Upper Austria, Austria, capital of the district of the same name, and a major port on the Inn River. As of 2001, it has a population of 5,052. Historically it was owned by the Wittelsbach family, which reflects on the town's architecture. The asteroid 178243 Schaerding was named in its honour by its discoverer, Richard Gierlinger, whose home town this is.