Plainburg Castle

As early as 1200 BC, the mountain served as a Celtic burial site, and it is presumed that an early Roman fort was once located there. Comes Werigandus de Playen is mentioned as the builder in an imperial document from 1108, credited with constructing the inner courtyard and gatehouse around 1100. The first documentary mention as Plagien Castrum occurred around 1140. The castle served the Lords of Plain until their demise in 1260. It is unclear whether the walls of the outer bailey were built by the Plains themselves or later, but they show a different construction style. From 1292, Plainburg came into the possession of the Archbishopric of Salzburg and served the Prince-Archbishops as a regional fortress to secure the salt trade routes. Between 1470 and 1800, the castle underwent military modifications. Archbishop Paris von Lodron had the complex restored in 1620. The gate between the inner and outer bailey received its current Gothic appearance in 1674, adorned with the coat of arms of Archbishop Max Gandolf Freiherr von Kuenburg. The last soldier left the fortress in 1796, initiating its gradual decay.