Archbishop Gebhard of Salzburg had the castle built between 1075 and 1078, during the Investiture Controversy. It stands at 2,044 feet (623 m) on a rock pillar above the market town of Werfen, about 25 miles (40 km) south of Salzburg. The article names no architect, materials or style.
It was a strategic bulwark on the Salzach route across the Eastern Alps. It later served as a residence, a hunting retreat and a state prison. It was extended in the 12th century, and to a lesser extent in the 16th.
A fire in 1525 and 1526 during the German Peasants' War damaged it, and another fire in 1931 was followed by extensive restoration. Archduke Eugen of Austria owned it from 1898, and the state of Salzburg owns it now. It is a museum with guided tours and a falconry center.
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