Magazin Berchtesgaden

THE HOHENSALZBURG
FORTRESS
An imposing castle complex from the 11. century
The Hohensalzburg Fortress is a real eye-catcher high above the baroque towers of the city. As
a landmark visible from afar, the castle is an unmistakable part of Salzburg’s world-famous
silhouette. Its powerful appearance can be seen from down below and history can be
experienced inside, behind its thick walls.
History of the Fortress
The city of Mozart Salzburg is dominated by the walls of the Hohensalzburg Fortress, one
of the largest existing castles in Europe from the 11th century. The impressive building is a
remarkable proof of the former desire for representation and the authoritarian-political
demonstration of the power of the prince archbishops. The purpose of this facility was to
protect them from attacks. The fortress never had to prove its defensive function. Most of
the time the prince archbishops lived in the Salzburg Residenz, the city palace in the heart
of the old town.
The steep rock cone has been valued for centuries as a strategically favorable location on
the northern edge of the Alps. In 1077 a fortification was erected over the residence city
for the first time under the then Archbishop Gebhard I of Helfenstein. The reason for this
first construction activity was the investiture dispute between the German Emperor Henry
IV and Pope Gregory VII. , on whose side the
Archdiocese of Salzburg fought. To this day, the Hohensalzburg Fortress was never taken
by military means.
Prince`s chambers
The mysterious Prince’s Chambers of the Hohensalzburg Fortress are among the highlights
of your visit. By discovering the best preserved Gothic secular buildings in Europe,
experience a time travel into the Middle Ages and learn about the life and work of
Salzburg’s rulers and their subjects. The multimedia exhibition and the new Magic Theatre
will visit an unforgettable experience.
The countless exhibitions inside the fortress show a wider range of themes like the
exhibition of old weapons in the Zeughaus, the function of the fortress and the life of its
inhabitants, and the City of Salzburg in the fortress museum or old marionette puppets.
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