HISTORY
Hohenwerfen Castle stands high above the Austrian town of Werfen in the Salzach valley, approximately 40 kilometres south of Salzburg.
The fortification was built between 1075 and 1078 at the behest of Archbishop Gebhard of Salzburg, meant as a strategic bulwark atop a 155-metre (509 ft) high rock. Gebhard had three major castles extended to secure the route across the Eastern Alps along the Salzach river against the forces of King Henry IV of Germany: Hohenwerfen, Hohensalzburg and Petersberg Castle at Friesach. Nevertheless, King Henry had Gebhard expelled in 1077 and the archbishop could not return to Salzburg until 1086, only to die at Hohenwerfen two years later.
The fortress was extended in the 12th century and to a lesser extent again in the 16th century during the German Peasants' War, when in 1525 and 1526 riotous farmers and miners from the south of Salzburg moved towards the city, laying fire and severely damaging the castle.
Alternatively it was used as a state prison and therefore had a somewhat sinister reputation.
Following the secularization of Salzburg, from 1803 the castle changed over to Bavarian rule and was allowed to fall into disrepair and ruin. Between 1824 and 1833 Archduke Johann, the emperor’s brother, had the medieval castle repaired and restored for romantic and nostalgic reasons. The castle was then mostly used as a hunting base. In 1898 Archduke Eugen purchased the castle and expanded the complex into a stately home and added a large collection of art and weaponry.
In 1931 the main building in the castle complex was completely destroyed by fire. During Nazi rule the castle was used as a military training center and from 1945 to 1987 it was used by Salzburg’s police school. Since 1987 the fortifications have been developed as a tourist attraction.
CURRENT SITUATION
Formerly the castle belonged to the Habsburg family of Austria. Currently, their relatives, The House of Sforza, Count Andreis, reside within it, but the estate is now owned by the state of Salzburg.
Nowadays the bastion functions as a museum. Among the numerous attractions offered by the fortress are guided tours showing its extensive weapons collection, the historical Salzburg Falconry with the falconry museum as well as a fortress tavern. The historic Falconry Centre is a special attraction, offering daily flight demonstrations using various birds of prey, including eagles, falcons, hawks, and vultures.
