High Salzburg Fortress

The city's magnificent landmark rises above the towers of the city of Mozart: the 900-year-old Hohensalzburg Fortress is Europe's largest and best-preserved castle complex! A real eye-catcher, it can be seen from afar and is an unmistakable part of Salzburg's skyline. It appears mighty to visitors from afar, while history can be experienced up close behind its thick walls. Built by Archbishop Gebhard during the Investiture Controversy in 1077, the fortress served to protect the clergy and the population in the Middle Ages.

You can reach the fortress from Kapitelplatz via Festungsgasse, from where you can either take the fortress train (runs approx. every 10 minutes) or walk up to the fortress in approx. 30 minutes. Once at the top, you have a magnificent view of the city and the province of Salzburg.

The best way to experience the entire visitor offer is with the Festungscard: as part of a guided tour of the castle with state-of-the-art audio guides (in eight languages), you can visit the unique Prince's Rooms, the Salzburg Bull (500-year-old barrel organ), battlements, the torture chamber, the Romanesque Lower Chapel (11th century) and the castle chapel, where you can also get married. The castle and Rainer Regiment Museum, an impressive multivision show and a puppet museum round off the visitor attractions.

Afterwards, the castle restaurant with two shady guest gardens and magnificent views over the entire city center of Salzburg invites you to relax. The famous and popular fortress concerts take place in the stylish setting of the Fürstenzimmer.