Hohenwerfen Castle
Hohenwerfen Castle rises on a 155-metre rock pillar above the Salzach valley in Werfen, Austria, about 40 km south of Salzburg. Archbishop Gebhard built the fortress in 1075-1078 during the Investiture Controversy to control Alpine trade routes. Expanded in the 12th and 16th centuries, it was damaged during the 1525 Peasants' War and subsequently rebuilt. Archbishop Wolf Dietrich Raitenau was held here briefly in 1611 before being transferred to Hohensalzburg, where he died in 1617. The castle housed a Nazi Gauführerschule from 1939, then an Austrian Gendarmerie training centre until 1987.
Today it is open to the public with guided tours, a weapons collection, and a falconry centre with live flight demonstrations. Castle scenes from the 1968 film Where Eagles Dare were filmed here.
Visitor information
- Location
- Austria
- Country
- Austria
- Tier
- A (Magnificent, well worth a dedicated trip)
- Coordinates
- 47.4829, 13.1885
- Official site
- https://www.salzburg-burgen.at/de/burg-hohenwerfen/
Frequently asked questions
- Where is Hohenwerfen Castle?
- Hohenwerfen Castle is in Austria, Austria (approximately 47.4829, 13.1885).
- Can you visit Hohenwerfen Castle?
- Yes — Hohenwerfen Castle is open to visitors; see the official site at https://www.salzburg-burgen.at/de/burg-hohenwerfen/ for hours and tickets.
- What tier is Hohenwerfen Castle on the Castle Atlas?
- Hohenwerfen Castle is rated A tier on the Castle Atlas — Magnificent, well worth a dedicated trip.
- What can you see at Hohenwerfen Castle?
- Hohenwerfen Castle rises on a 155-metre rock pillar above the Salzach valley in Werfen, Austria, about 40 km south of Salzburg. Archbishop Gebhard built the fortress in 1075-1078 during the Investiture Controversy to control Alpine trade routes. Expanded in the 12th and 16th centuries, it was damaged during the 1525 Peasants' War and subsequently rebuilt. Archbishop Wolf Dietrich Raitenau was held here briefly in 1611 before being transferred to Hohensalzburg, where he died in 1617. The castle housed a Nazi Gauführerschule from 1939, then an Austrian Gendarmerie training centre until 1987.