Festung Hohensalzburg
Encyclopedia
Hohensalzburg Castle is a castle
in the Austria
n city of Salzburg
, atop the Festungsberg
mountain. Erected at the behest of the Prince-Archbishops of Salzburg
, it today with a length of 250 m (820.2 ft) and a width of 150 m (492.1 ft), is one of the largest medieval castles in Europe.
. This original design was just a basic bailey with a wooden wall. In the Holy Roman Empire
, the Salzburg Archbishops already were powerful political figures, and they expanded the castle to protect their interests. Gebhard's conflict with Emperor Henry IV
during the Investiture Controversy
influenced the expansion of the castle, with the Archbishop taking the side of Pope Gregory VII
and the German anti-king Rudolf of Rheinfelden. The castle was gradually expanded during the following centuries. The ring walls and towers were built in 1462 under Prince-Archbishop Burkhard II von Weißpriach.
Prince-Archbishop Leonhard von Keutschach
during his term from 1495 until 1519 further expanded the castle. His coadjutor Matthäus Lang von Wellenburg
, who was later to succeed Leonhard, in 1515 wrote a description of the Reisszug
, a very early and primitive funicular railway
that provided freight access to the upper courtyard of the castle. The line still exists, albeit in updated form, and is probably the oldest operational railway
in the world.
The only time that the fortress actually came under siege was during the Peasants' War
in 1525, when a group of miners, farmers and townspeople tried to oust Prince-Archbishop Matthäus Lang, but failed to take the castle. In 1612 the deposed Archbishop Wolf Dietrich von Raitenau died here in prison. During the Thirty Years' War
, Archbishop Count Paris of Lodron strengthened the town's defenses, including Hohensalzburg. He added various parts to the fortress, such as the gunpowder stores and additional gatehouses. The fort was surrendered without a fight to French
troops under General Jean Victor Marie Moreau
during the Napoleonic War of the Second Coalition
in 1800 and the last Prince-Archbishop Count Hieronymus von Colloredo
fled to Vienna
. In the 19th century, it was used as barracks, storage depot and dungeon before being abandoned as a military outpost in 1861.
cable car, opened in 1892, leading up from the town to the Hasengrabenbastei. It stands today as one of the best preserved castles in Europe.
During the early 20th century it was used as a prison, holding Italian prisoners of war during World War I
and Nazi activists (before the Anschluss
with Germany) in the 1930s.
The Hohensalzburg was recently selected as main motif for the Austrian Nonnberg Abbey commemorative coin minted on April 5, 2006. This was the first coin of the series "Great Abbeys of Austria". It shows the Benedictine convent of Nonnberg Abbey
. In the hilltop on the background, the castle and the Kajetaner church can be seen. Also in 1977 the Austrian Mint issued a coin for the 900th anniversary of the Hohensalzburg.
From Palm Sunday to 31 October the "Salzburg Bull" played daily at 7, 11 and 18'o clock. The aerophone thus initiated the playing of the carillon at the Residenzplatz and ended it again.
One of Austria's most famous cabaret prices is named after it.
beneath the mitre
, legate cross and sword. A special feature of the coat of arms is the turnip
and in many places in the fortress this can be found as an indication of prince-archbishop Keutschach's building activity. In the north wall of the chapel there are two opening which made it possible to attend the church service from the side room.
had the magnificent state apartments installed on the third floor. The rooms in which the archbishops would normally lived in were one floor below. The state apartments were primarily used for representative purposes and for festivities. The Golden Hall was richly decorated and indicates that the fortress served the archbishops not only as a refuge in times of crisis, but also frequently as a residence up to the 16th century.
In order to gain more space, Archbishop Leonhard von Keutschach had four massive marble pillars constructed on the right-hand outer wall and had a loggia
added on. As in the other rooms the ceiling is coffered, each coffer being adorned with gold buttons symbolising the stars in the sky.
The 17 metre long beam
, supporting the ceiling, is particularly worth mentioning. The coat of arms of Leonhard von Keutschach together with those of the Holy Roman Empire, the most powerful German towns and the bishoprics that were connected to Salzburg are painted on it.
s, whereas the lower part, which is bare today, was probably covered with leather or velvet tapestry. The door conceals a toilet
, which is basically a hole in the floor with a wooden frame. Back in the past this was a highly modern sanitary facility and was accessible from each floor.
Castle
A castle is a type of fortified structure built in Europe and the Middle East during the Middle Ages by European nobility. Scholars debate the scope of the word castle, but usually consider it to be the private fortified residence of a lord or noble...
in the Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
n city of Salzburg
Salzburg
-Population development:In 1935, the population significantly increased when Salzburg absorbed adjacent municipalities. After World War II, numerous refugees found a new home in the city. New residential space was created for American soldiers of the postwar Occupation, and could be used for...
, atop the Festungsberg
Festungsberg
Festungsberg is a mountain in the city of Salzburg, Salzburgerland, Austria. Its summit at about is the site of Hohensalzburg Castle.The mountain is located in the south of the Altstadt or Old Town quarter...
mountain. Erected at the behest of the Prince-Archbishops of Salzburg
Archbishopric of Salzburg
The Archbishopric of Salzburg was an ecclesiastical State of the Holy Roman Empire, its territory roughly congruent with the present-day Austrian state of Salzburg....
, it today with a length of 250 m (820.2 ft) and a width of 150 m (492.1 ft), is one of the largest medieval castles in Europe.
Early history
Construction of the fortress began in 1077 under Archbishop Gebhard von HelfensteinGebhard of Salzburg
Blessed Gebhard of Salzburg , also occasionally known as Gebhard of Helfenstein, was Archbishop of Salzburg from 1060 until his death. He was one of the fiercest opponents of King Henry IV during the Investiture Controversy....
. This original design was just a basic bailey with a wooden wall. In the Holy Roman Empire
Holy Roman Empire
The Holy Roman Empire was a realm that existed from 962 to 1806 in Central Europe.It was ruled by the Holy Roman Emperor. Its character changed during the Middle Ages and the Early Modern period, when the power of the emperor gradually weakened in favour of the princes...
, the Salzburg Archbishops already were powerful political figures, and they expanded the castle to protect their interests. Gebhard's conflict with Emperor Henry IV
Henry IV, Holy Roman Emperor
Henry IV was King of the Romans from 1056 and Holy Roman Emperor from 1084 until his forced abdication in 1105. He was the third emperor of the Salian dynasty and one of the most powerful and important figures of the 11th century...
during the Investiture Controversy
Investiture Controversy
The Investiture Controversy or Investiture Contest was the most significant conflict between Church and state in medieval Europe. In the 11th and 12th centuries, a series of Popes challenged the authority of European monarchies over control of appointments, or investitures, of church officials such...
influenced the expansion of the castle, with the Archbishop taking the side of Pope Gregory VII
Pope Gregory VII
Pope St. Gregory VII , born Hildebrand of Sovana , was Pope from April 22, 1073, until his death. One of the great reforming popes, he is perhaps best known for the part he played in the Investiture Controversy, his dispute with Henry IV, Holy Roman Emperor affirming the primacy of the papal...
and the German anti-king Rudolf of Rheinfelden. The castle was gradually expanded during the following centuries. The ring walls and towers were built in 1462 under Prince-Archbishop Burkhard II von Weißpriach.
Prince-Archbishop Leonhard von Keutschach
Leonhard von Keutschach
Leonhard von Keutschach was Prince-Archbishop of Salzburg from 1495 until his death, the last to rule in the feudal style.- Biography :...
during his term from 1495 until 1519 further expanded the castle. His coadjutor Matthäus Lang von Wellenburg
Matthäus Lang von Wellenburg
Matthäus Lang von Wellenburg was a statesman of the Holy Roman Empire, a Cardinal and Prince-Archbishop of Salzburg from 1519 to his death....
, who was later to succeed Leonhard, in 1515 wrote a description of the Reisszug
Reisszug
The Reisszug is a private funicular railway providing goods access to the Hohensalzburg Castle at Salzburg in Austria...
, a very early and primitive funicular railway
Funicular
A funicular, also known as an inclined plane or cliff railway, is a cable railway in which a cable attached to a pair of tram-like vehicles on rails moves them up and down a steep slope; the ascending and descending vehicles counterbalance each other.-Operation:The basic principle of funicular...
that provided freight access to the upper courtyard of the castle. The line still exists, albeit in updated form, and is probably the oldest operational railway
Rail transport
Rail transport is a means of conveyance of passengers and goods by way of wheeled vehicles running on rail tracks. In contrast to road transport, where vehicles merely run on a prepared surface, rail vehicles are also directionally guided by the tracks they run on...
in the world.
The only time that the fortress actually came under siege was during the Peasants' War
Peasants' War
The Peasants' War was a popular revolt that took place in Europe during 1524–1525...
in 1525, when a group of miners, farmers and townspeople tried to oust Prince-Archbishop Matthäus Lang, but failed to take the castle. In 1612 the deposed Archbishop Wolf Dietrich von Raitenau died here in prison. During the Thirty Years' War
Thirty Years' War
The Thirty Years' War was fought primarily in what is now Germany, and at various points involved most countries in Europe. It was one of the most destructive conflicts in European history....
, Archbishop Count Paris of Lodron strengthened the town's defenses, including Hohensalzburg. He added various parts to the fortress, such as the gunpowder stores and additional gatehouses. The fort was surrendered without a fight to French
French First Republic
The French First Republic was founded on 22 September 1792, by the newly established National Convention. The First Republic lasted until the declaration of the First French Empire in 1804 under Napoleon I...
troops under General Jean Victor Marie Moreau
Jean Victor Marie Moreau
Jean Victor Marie Moreau was a French general who helped Napoleon Bonaparte to power, but later became a rival and was banished to the United States.- Early life :Moreau was born at Morlaix in Brittany...
during the Napoleonic War of the Second Coalition
War of the Second Coalition
The "Second Coalition" was the second attempt by European monarchs, led by the Habsburg Monarchy of Austria and the Russian Empire, to contain or eliminate Revolutionary France. They formed a new alliance and attempted to roll back France's previous military conquests...
in 1800 and the last Prince-Archbishop Count Hieronymus von Colloredo
Count Hieronymus von Colloredo
Count Hieronymus Joseph Franz de Paula Graf Colloredo von Wallsee und Melz was Prince-Bishop of Gurk from 1761 and Prince-Archbishop of Salzburg from 1771 until 1803, when the Archbishopric was secularized.-Life:He was the second son of Count Rudolf Wenzel Joseph Colloredo von Wallsee und Melz , a...
fled to Vienna
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
. In the 19th century, it was used as barracks, storage depot and dungeon before being abandoned as a military outpost in 1861.
Recent history
Hohensalzburg was refurbished from the late 19th century onwards and became a major tourist attraction, with the FestungsbahnFestungsbahn (Salzburg)
The Festungsbahn is a funicular railway providing public access to the Hohensalzburg Castle at Salzburg in Austria. It links the castle with Festungsgasse, under the north side of the castle walls...
cable car, opened in 1892, leading up from the town to the Hasengrabenbastei. It stands today as one of the best preserved castles in Europe.
During the early 20th century it was used as a prison, holding Italian prisoners of war during World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
and Nazi activists (before the Anschluss
Anschluss
The Anschluss , also known as the ', was the occupation and annexation of Austria into Nazi Germany in 1938....
with Germany) in the 1930s.
The Hohensalzburg was recently selected as main motif for the Austrian Nonnberg Abbey commemorative coin minted on April 5, 2006. This was the first coin of the series "Great Abbeys of Austria". It shows the Benedictine convent of Nonnberg Abbey
Nonnberg Abbey
Nonnberg Abbey is a Benedictine monastery in Salzburg, Austria.It was founded ca. 714 by Saint Rupert of Salzburg and is the oldest women's religious house in the German-speaking world...
. In the hilltop on the background, the castle and the Kajetaner church can be seen. Also in 1977 the Austrian Mint issued a coin for the 900th anniversary of the Hohensalzburg.
Interior
The fortress consists of various wings and courtyard. The Prince-Bishop's apartments are located in the so-called "Hoher Stock" (high floor).Salzburg Bull
The Kraut Tower (Krautturm) houses a large aerophon of more than 200 pipes which is called the "Salzburg Bull" (Salzburger Stier). This huge mechanical organ was built in 1502 by Archbishop Leonhard von Keutschach. It was renewed by Rochus Egedacher in 1735.From Palm Sunday to 31 October the "Salzburg Bull" played daily at 7, 11 and 18'o clock. The aerophone thus initiated the playing of the carillon at the Residenzplatz and ended it again.
One of Austria's most famous cabaret prices is named after it.
Chapel of archbishop Leonhard von Keutschach
The Salzburg archbishop Leonhard von Keutschach (1495-1519) had the chapel built at a later time. One of the figure consoles in the beam ceiling had to be removed to make room for it. A richly ornamented star vault decorates the ceiling of the chapel. The inner part of the door at the entrance is covered with stucco. The painted frame shows red columns on a high plinth with grey capitals. The coat of arms of Salzburg and of Leonhard von Keutschach is reproduced in the tympanumTympanum
Tympanum may refer to:* Tympanum , an architectural element located within the arch or pediment* Tympanum , a hearing organ/gland in frogs and toads, a flat red oval on both sides of a frog's head* Tympanum, in biology, the eardrum...
beneath the mitre
Mitre
The mitre , also spelled miter, is a type of headwear now known as the traditional, ceremonial head-dress of bishops and certain abbots in the Roman Catholic Church, as well as in the Anglican Communion, some Lutheran churches, and also bishops and certain other clergy in the Eastern Orthodox...
, legate cross and sword. A special feature of the coat of arms is the turnip
Turnip
The turnip or white turnip is a root vegetable commonly grown in temperate climates worldwide for its white, bulbous taproot. Small, tender varieties are grown for human consumption, while larger varieties are grown as feed for livestock...
and in many places in the fortress this can be found as an indication of prince-archbishop Keutschach's building activity. In the north wall of the chapel there are two opening which made it possible to attend the church service from the side room.
Golden Hall
Starting in 1498, Archbishop Leonhard von KeutschachLeonhard von Keutschach
Leonhard von Keutschach was Prince-Archbishop of Salzburg from 1495 until his death, the last to rule in the feudal style.- Biography :...
had the magnificent state apartments installed on the third floor. The rooms in which the archbishops would normally lived in were one floor below. The state apartments were primarily used for representative purposes and for festivities. The Golden Hall was richly decorated and indicates that the fortress served the archbishops not only as a refuge in times of crisis, but also frequently as a residence up to the 16th century.
In order to gain more space, Archbishop Leonhard von Keutschach had four massive marble pillars constructed on the right-hand outer wall and had a loggia
Loggia
Loggia is the name given to an architectural feature, originally of Minoan design. They are often a gallery or corridor at ground level, sometimes higher, on the facade of a building and open to the air on one side, where it is supported by columns or pierced openings in the wall...
added on. As in the other rooms the ceiling is coffered, each coffer being adorned with gold buttons symbolising the stars in the sky.
The 17 metre long beam
Beam
Beam may refer to:*Beam , a construction element*Beam , the most extreme width of a nautical vessel, or a point alongside the ship at the mid-point of its length*A narrow, propagating stream of particles or energy:...
, supporting the ceiling, is particularly worth mentioning. The coat of arms of Leonhard von Keutschach together with those of the Holy Roman Empire, the most powerful German towns and the bishoprics that were connected to Salzburg are painted on it.
Golden Chamber
The Golden Chamber is the most magnificently furnished room of the princely chambers. The two long walls are taken up by benches that are richly decorated with vines, grapes, foliage and animals. These benches used to be covered with cloth or leather, but the upholstery has not survived into the modern age. The walls also used to be covered in gold-embossed leather tapestry which adorned the lower part of the wall.Bedchamber
The bedchamber is the most intimate room of the princely chambers. The original furniture and precious textiles, such as tapestry, were in the course of time replaced by more "modern" ones. The elaborate wainscoting to keep out the cold still bears witness to the splendour of the past. The upper part of the panels is decorated with gilded buttons and rosetteRosette (design)
A rosette is a round, stylized flower design, used extensively in sculptural objects from antiquity. Appearing in Mesopotamia and used to decorate the funeral stele in Ancient Greece...
s, whereas the lower part, which is bare today, was probably covered with leather or velvet tapestry. The door conceals a toilet
Toilet
A toilet is a sanitation fixture used primarily for the disposal of human excrement, often found in a small room referred to as a toilet/bathroom/lavatory...
, which is basically a hole in the floor with a wooden frame. Back in the past this was a highly modern sanitary facility and was accessible from each floor.
See also
- Alte ResidenzAlte ResidenzThe Alte Residenz was the city palace of the Archbishops of Salzburg in the Old Town of Salzburg.-Location:It lies in the historic center of Salzburg between Domplatz, Residenzplatz and Sigmund-Haffner-Gasse.-History:...
- Salzburg Cathedral
External links
- Hohensalzburg Castle
- Hohensalzburg Castle 900th anniversary coin
- Salzburg Tourist Office – salzburg city tourist board website.