angusmacinnes
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Festung Hohensalzburg
Festung Hohensalzburg (literally "High Salzburg Fortress" in German) is a castle in the Austrian city of Salzburg. It sits on Festungberg hill. With a length of 250 meters and a width of 150 meters, it is one of the largest medieval castles in Europe.
History
Construction of the fortress began in 1077 under Archbishop Gebhard von Helfenstein. This original design was just a basic bailey with a wooden wall. In Salzburg, the Archbishops were powerful political figures, and they expanded the castle to protect their interests. The Investiture Controversy influenced the expansion of the castle, with the Salzburg Archbishops taking the side of the Pope. The castle was gradually expanded during the following centuries. The ring walls and towers were built in 1462 under Burkhard II of Weißpriach. Prince Archbishop Leonhard von Keutschach further expanded the castle.
The only time that the fortress came under siege was in 1525, when a group of miners, farmers and townspeople tried to oust Prince Archbishop Cardinal Matthäus Lang, but failed to take the castle. During the Thirty Years' War, 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 during the Napoleonic Wars. In the 19th century, it was used as a barracks, storage depot and dungeon before being abandoned as a military outpost in 1861.
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. It was refurbished in the 20th century and became a major tourist attraction, with a cable car, built in 1900, leading up from the town to the Hasengrabenbastei. It stands today as one of the best preserved castles in Europe.
Inside the walls of Festung Hohensalzburg
Source #1
 Salzburg Castle (Festung Hohensalzburg) stands on the Mönchsberg, a 400 foot hill overlooking the beautiful and musical Austrian city. It is Europe's largest fully-preserved castle but, despite its great age (over 900 years), it has little history as it was never attacked and only occupied once when it was surrendered to Napoleon without a fight.
It was built in 1077 by Archbishop Gebhard as a refuge in the midst of a controversy between the pope and the king as to who had the right to appoint bishops. The fortifications were expanded in the early 12th century.
 It was used as a refuge during the 15th and 16th centuries during the Hungarian and Peasants' Wars. During this time it was enlarged and the arsenal and granary erected. The exterior view has been virtually unaltered since then. Its final alterations took place in 1681 with many Italian baroque modifications..
During its long history it served as a refuge for the archbishops, a military barracks and a prison.
It can be visited today and is reached either by a funicular railway, built in 1892, or a hard slog up the hill and has tremendous views from its walls of the city beneath on one side & the Alps on the other three. There are winding passages and ornate state rooms, including the Golden Room and Golden Hall together with a museum of medieval torture.
 
 
Source #2
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4/18/2008, 9:59
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