Burg Hohenwerfen

Salzburg & Salzburgerland


Slung high on a wooded clifftop and cowering beneath the majestic peaks of the Tennengebirge range, Burg Hohenwerfen is visible from afar. For 900 years this fortress has kept watch over the Salz­ach Valley; its current appearance dates to 1570. The big draw is the far-reaching view over Werfen from the 16th-century belfry, though the dungeons (displaying the usual nasties such as the iron maiden and thumb screw) are also worth a look.

The entry fee also covers a falconry show in the grounds (11.15am and 3.15pm daily), where falconers in medieval costume release eagles, owls, falcons and vultures to wheel in front of the ramparts. There's commentary in English and German.

The brisk walk up from the village takes 20 minutes. If the uphill climb is not for you, a lift whisks you up there in a matter of seconds.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Salzburg & Salzburgerland attractions

1. Eisriesenwelt

1.41 MILES

Billed as the world’s largest accessible ice caves, Eisriesenwelt is a glittering ice empire spanning 30,000 sq metres and 42km of narrow passages…

2. Berchtesgaden National Park

10.27 MILES

Forty years old in 2018, the wilds of this 210-sq-km park still offer some of the best hiking in Germany. A good introduction is a 2km trail up from St…

3. Eagle's Nest

11.23 MILES

At 1834m above sea level, the Eagle's Nest was built as a mountaintop retreat for Hitler, and gifted to him on his 50th birthday. It took around 3000…

4. Königssee

11.88 MILES

Gliding serenely across the wonderfully picturesque, emerald-green Königssee makes for some unforgettable memories and photo opportunities. Cradled by…

5. Dokumentation Obersalzberg

12.41 MILES

In 1933 the tranquil Alpine settlement of Obersalzberg (3km from Berchtesgaden) in essence became the second seat of Nazi power after Berlin, a dark…

6. Salzbergwerk

13.36 MILES

Once a major producer of ‘white gold’, Berchtesgaden has thrown open its salt mines for fun-filled 1½-hour tours. Kids especially love donning miners’…

7. Salzwelten

13.55 MILES

During Salzburg’s princely heyday, the sale of salt filled its coffers. Today, at Austria’s biggest show mine, you can slip into a boiler suit and descend…

8. Stille Nacht Museum

14.42 MILES

Hallein’s festive claim to fame is as the one-time home of Franz Xaver Gruber (1787–1863), who composed the carol Stille Nacht (Silent Night). Joseph Mohr…

  • placement: superzone
  • path: Destinations/POIs/superzone
  • possible size: [970, 250], [970, 90], [728, 90], [1, 1],
  • targeting:
    {
      "url": "austria/salzburg/werfen/attractions/burg-hohenwerfen/a/poi-sig/504538/358612",
      "destination": "Salzburg-&-Salzburgerland",
      "continent": "Europe",
      "country": "Austria",
      "region": "Salzburg-&-Salzburgerland",
      "position": "superzone"
    }