Kaprun Castle

Kaprun Castle is a medieval castle in the municipality of Kaprun in Salzburg, Austria.

The first documented mention of the name Kaprun occurred on February 9, 931, with the Celtic name Chataprunnin (wild water) in the Codex Odalberti. The construction of Kaprun Castle is dated to the 12th century; in any case, the possessions of the Lords of Falkenstein-Neuburg were mentioned in the Codex Falkensteinensis in 1166. The castle itself was first documented as the tower of Chaprunne in connection with incursions by the Felber in 1280. In 1287, the complex fell to the Archbishop Rudolf von Hoheneck of Salzburg. In 1338, the Lords of Felben again became owners of the castle. From 1480 onwards, it served as the seat of the archiepiscopal court. In 1526, the castle was set on fire and burned down during the Salzburg Peasant Wars. From 1580 to 1600, the Salzburg administrator Josef Hundt von Ainetperg expanded the castle to its current layout. In 1606, the Archbishop Wolf Dietrich von Raitenau of Salzburg had the Kaprun administrator Caspar Vogl, who had shown solidarity with the Pinzgau peasants in 1601, beheaded. From the 17th century onwards, various owners are documented. In 1921, Prince Johann II of Liechtenstein sold the castle along with Fischhorn Castle to the Peruvian envoy Heinrich E. Gildemeister. However, his family was dispossessed in 1938 after the annexation of Austria. After the end of the National Socialist regime, the castle was again owned by members of the Gildemeister family. In 1975, the renovation of the small complex began. In 1984, it was acquired by the Burgverein Kaprun, a non-profit association of Kaprun entrepreneurs. Intensive renovation subsequently began. The land around the listed castle and the access road remain the property of members of the Gildemeister family.

Today, the castle is primarily used for cultural events and can also be rented by private individuals for festivities. The inner courtyard features a grandstand with 450 seats and a covered stage. Furthermore, after the renovation, various rooms are available, especially the gallery hall and the knight's hall. Since 2008, Kaprun Castle has also been the annual venue for Castlecamp, a barcamp with a focus on tourism.