Hohenwerfen Castle (German: Burg Hohenwerfen) stands high above the Austrian town of Werfen (623 m asl) in the Salzach valley, approximately 40 km south of Salzburg.
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The castle is surrounded by the Berchtesgaden Alps and the adjacent Tennengebirge mountain range. The fortification is a "sister" of Hohensalzburg Castle both dated from the 11th century.
The former fortification was built between 1075 and 1078 during the Imperial Investiture Controversy by the order of Archbishop Gebhard of Salzburg as a strategic bulwark atop high rock. Gebhard, an ally of Pope Gregory VII and the anti-king Rudolf of Rheinfelden, had three major castles extended to secure the Salzburg archbishopric against the forces of King Henry IV: Hohenwerfen, Hohensalzburg and Petersberg Castle at Friesach in Carinthia. Nevertheless, Gebhard was expelled in 1077 and could not return to Salzburg until 1086, only to die at Hohenwerf.
Village in Berchtesgaden Alps not far from the Hohenwerfen castle
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The Hohenwerfen castle was extended in the 12th century and a lesser extent again in the 16th century during the "Bauernkriege", when looting and rioting farmers and miners from the South of Salzburg moved towards the city in 1525 and 1526. More adaptations followed during the 30-years-war between 1608 and 1638. This included the erection of a gunpowder tower during the reign of Prince Archbishop Paris Lodron in 1623. After Bavaria conquered Salzburg in an alley with the Napoleonic France, all cannons had to be delivered to the French troops. After the wars were over, Salzburg was secularised and Europe about to start settling again, the question arose what to do with the now useless - since old-fashioned - Hohenwerfen Fortress. The officials argued about one suggestion to destruct the building or another to use it as a prison.
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The former fortification was built between 1075 and 1078 during the Imperial Investiture Controversy by the order of Archbishop Gebhard of Salzburg as a strategic bulwark atop high rock. Gebhard, an ally of Pope Gregory VII and the anti-king Rudolf of Rheinfelden, had three major castles extended to secure the Salzburg archbishopric against the forces of King Henry IV: Hohenwerfen, Hohensalzburg and Petersberg Castle at Friesach in Carinthia. Nevertheless, Gebhard was expelled in 1077 and could not return to Salzburg until 1086, only to die at Hohenwerf.
Village in Berchtesgaden Alps not far from the Hohenwerfen castle
Prince Archbishop Wolf Dietrich von Raitenau
Emperor Franz I. of Austria prevented Hohenwerfen from being destroyed, but the Bavarians, who temporarily held Salzburg as part of their territory, neglected the building and left it to decay. The first renovation was done under Austrian rule between 1824 and 1833. Archduke Eugen purchased the castle in 1896. In 1931, large parts of Hohenwerfen were destroyed or seriously damaged in a great fire. It was re-constructed within a year and in 1938, Hohenwerfen became a property of Salzburg province, or the "Gau Salzburg", as it was called during the Nazi-reign.
Beyond its function as a strategic military building, Hohenwerfen has served as a court and prison over centuries. Prominent prisoners were Prince Archbishop Adalbert III., who stayed in the dungeon for 14 days. The governor of Styria was kept prisoner in Hohenwerfen during the Bauernkrieg wars in 1526.
Finally, the most famous prisoner of Hohenwerfen was Prince Archbishop Wolf Dietrich von Raitenau, who was held here in 1611 before he was transferred to Hohensalzburg Fortress. Until a few decades ago, Hohenwerfen was headquarter for the regional police academy.
"Where Eagles Dare", Richard Burton and Clint Eastwood
Hohenwerfen was used as the castle 'Schloss Adler' in the famous action film 1968 "Where Eagles Dare" (germ. Agenten sterben einsam), starring Richard Burton, Clint Eastwood, and Mary Ure, based on screenplay by Alistair MacLean.
Today the Hohenwerfen castle is the feathered hunters of the province’s falconry centre, the and museum of dashing weaponry.
Text source: visit-salzburg.net, Wikipedia.
Image source: italy2012sept.blogspot.com, theaceblackblog.com, reddit.com, Wiki and blog archive.