Mittersill Castle

Around 1150, a castle was built on this site, serving as the seat of the judicial district of the Oberpinzgau county. Originally owned by the Counts of Matrei and later the Dukes of Bavaria, the complex passed to the Archbishopric of Salzburg in the 12th century through an exchange. During the Peasants' Wars in 1526, the castle was destroyed but was rebuilt and expanded into a palatial structure under Archbishop Matthäus Lang. It received reinforced fortifications and a well in the courtyard. Its completion is documented by the year 1528 above the archway, and the castle chapel was completed in 1533. After the dissolution of the Archbishopric of Salzburg, the castle was privatized in 1881. A noble entrepreneur acquired it in 1936 and established the International Sports and Shooting Club there, attracting numerous prominent members. A lightning strike in 1938 caused a fire that left considerable damage.