A MYSTICAL JOURNEY INTO TIMES LONG PAST
Three mighty castles in Salzburg's Lungau invite you to get to know the history of the region in all its facets. Numerous legends and mystical goose bumps surround the buildings. And although they have long since become attractive museums and excursion destinations for the whole family, the stories seem to have remained alive within the old walls!
Today, moors, forests and mountain lakes are among the beautiful natural attractions in Salzburg's Lungau region. In earlier times, however, life in the southernmost region of SalzburgerLand was shaped by the great conquests of the Romans and Slavs. In the Lungau, two important roads from the south met and led across the Tauern mountains to the north.
"Mighty castle complexes still bear witness today to the strategically important position of the Lungau."
All castles & palaces at a glance
SCHLOSS MOOSHAM
This medieval castle in Moosham in Unternberg is a special experience for big and small
This cultural attraction is actually the third-largest castle in SalzburgerLand. Schloss Moosham serves as testimony to terrible trials conducted against witches, sorcerers and beggars. Today, the castle is owned by the Wilczek family. During a fascinating guided tour, the Wilczek family, steward of the castle Mr. Wind and his team share intriguing tales of actual events that occurred here over the course of Lungau history. Your visit will include a glimpse inside the original torture chamber. Special tours are offered just for children during the summer months. However, guests are welcome year-round.
BURG FINSTERGRÜN
Whether an interesting castle tour, the current exhibition, a puzzle quiz, the Walk of Legends or fun on the ropes course - snacks at the Naschkammer and a comfortable sit-down in the castle courtyard add the perfect finishing touches to any castle visit. Burg Finstergrün, the emblem of Ramingstein, stands imposingly on a steep rocky outcropping, high above the village to its north that stands at 950 meters above sea level. The most lively castle in Salzburg - a place to encounter, experience and reenergize.
BURG MAUTERNDORF
Burg Mauterndorf greets you with an exciting journey back to the
Late Middle Ages.
Medieval Burg Mauterndorf is a unique treasure amid the astonishing mountain world in the south of Salzburg. This 13th-century toll castle and occasional summer residence of the prince-archbishops of Salzburg, standing on a hilltop, dominates the historic town of Mauterndorf and invites you to explore. In the exhibition, you will make the personal acquaintance of the lord of the castle, Archbishop Leonhard von Keutschach, and his court. And from the 44 meters-tall defensive tower, you will be treated to fascinating views of Mauterndorf, the Radstädter Tauern to the north, the Hohe Tauern to the west as well as the Nockberge in the south.
Sightseeing in Salzburg's Lungau
KLAUSEGG RUINS
Klausegg lies roughly 10 km to the east of Tamsweg, directly on the provincial border between Salzburg and Styria, which, back in the 13th century, represented the border between the territory governed by the Salzburg prince-archbishops and Habsburg Styria. No wonder, then, that Klausegg played an important role back in those days in securing the border. The ruins, along with the remnants of a defensive wall leading up to the fortification on the southern side of the valley, may still be seen to this day.
THURNSCHALL RUINS
Burg Thurnschall in the town of Lessach was first chronicled back in 1239.
After changing ownership on multiple occasions, it is now owned by the Austrian Forestry Service. The 8 meters-tall remnants of the west tower are still preserved. According to popular legend, the Thurnschallweibl still lives in the castle ruins, the cursed lady of a knight who is doomed to guard a treasure forever.
CASTLE EDENVEST
Equipped with good shoes and a little bit of fitness, within a few minutes you can visit the remains of the walls of Edenvest Castle above the Höllweg in Gruben. Edenfest Castle was originally called Lewenstein.
It was the first documented castle in the Lungau around 1147, when Bishop Reginbert of Passau gave Otto von Machlang possessions in the Lungau, but excluded Lewenstein Castle from it. In 1467/70 it is called "öde Vest" in a feudal charter, which means that it had already become a ruin and had lost its military significance.
In 1998-1999 archaeological excavations were carried out by the government of Salzburg. Subsequently, the discovered wall remains, which no longer show any covered spaces, were secured.
