Clan Rising
Mittersill Castle today

Austria · Restored

Mittersill Castle

Schloss Mittersill

Mittersill Castle (Schloss Mittersill) is a medieval castle on the northern side of the Salzach valley above the town of Mittersill in Salzburg, Austria. Historically it served as the seat of the archbishops in Upper Pinzgau and later as a regional court; today the building survives and has been adapted for modern use.

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Photograph via Wikimedia Commons

Its prime

1550

Today

Restored

As it stood in 1550

What Mittersill Castle looked like in its prime.

Set on a rocky terrace about 140 m above the Salzach valley, the castle is built in a horseshoe plan opening to the east with a fortified curtain wall to the south. The west façade is marked by two round turrets added in the 16th-century rebuilding, while the southern turret, called the "Witches' Tower", contains an upper-floor chapel. The complex consists of contiguous stone wings around a central courtyard, pitched roofs and crenellated defensive walls following the hill's contour.

Its story

The story of Mittersill Castle.

The first records of the castle date to the 12th century, when Pinzgau lay under the control of the Duchy of Bavaria and the Counts of Lechsgemünd, subsequently styled "of Mittersill", decided to establish their family seat here, on the northern side of the Salzach valley some 140 metres above the town.

In 1228 the fiefdom of Pinzgau came under the control of the Archbishopric of Salzburg, and the castle was made the seat of the archbishops in Upper Pinzgau. It served as a regional court for almost the next 600 years, including the witch trials in Pinzgau, which started in the 16th century and continued into the 18th.

In 1880 the castle was auctioned for 4,000 guilders to the grain merchant Anton Hahn, who sold it two years later to Countess Marie Larisch von Moennich; she employed the architect Carl Gangolf Kayser on renovations. The castle enjoyed a very glamorous period from 1935 to 1967 under Baron Hubert von Pantz, and in 2009 it was bought by two local families, who opened a restaurant in 2010 and later turned it into a hotel open to the public.

Step inside

6 places to explore in 1550.

The record describes 6 distinct spots at Mittersill Castle, including 1 interior: chapel in the witches' tower (upper floor). Create your own photoreal reconstruction and explore every one, more scenes means more rooms, more angles, and more of the place to stand in.

Approach from the Salzach valleyEastern opening and entranceInner courtyardSouthern curtain wall and battlementsWest façade with twin turretsChapel in the Witches' Tower (upper floor)

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Whose castle

Clans who held Mittersill Castle.

The families that held Mittersill Castle for a decade or more across its history, follow a name to its clan.

  • Lechsgemünd

    The Counts of Lechsgemünd, subsequently styled "of Mittersill", made the castle their family seat in the 12th century.

  • Larisch von Moennich

    Bought in 1882 by Countess Marie Larisch von Moennich, who employed Carl Gangolf Kayser on renovations.

Questions about Mittersill Castle

What is the history of Mittersill Castle?

Mittersill Castle has a documented history reaching back to the 12th century, when the Counts of Lechsgemünd established their family seat there. In 1228 it became the seat of the archbishops in Upper Pinzgau and served as a regional court for almost 600 years. It was plundered and burnt during the 1526 uprising, then rebuilt and repeatedly altered after later fires.

What is inside Mittersill Castle?

Inside Mittersill Castle are a central courtyard and a chapel on the upper floor of the southern Witches’ Tower. The courtyard is entered from the east through a gate building dating from 1537, and the approach passes the former court house. The complex also contains contiguous stone wings and later economic buildings.

Why was Mittersill Castle built, and what was it used for?

Mittersill Castle was built as the family seat of the Counts of Lechsgemünd, who controlled the area under the Duchy of Bavaria. Its position above the Salzach valley also allowed control of merchant traffic and routes towards Pass Thurn and the Felber valley. From 1228 it served the Archbishopric of Salzburg as an administrative seat and regional court.

Where is Mittersill Castle?

Mittersill Castle is on the northern side of the Salzach valley above the town of Mittersill in the Pinzgau region of Salzburg. It stands on a rocky terrace about 140 metres above the valley and is located within the administrative area of Mittersill.

When was Mittersill Castle built?

Mittersill Castle dates from the 12th century, although its precise first-raised year is not recorded. A castle stood on the site around 1150, and the present architectural form largely reflects rebuilding and enlargement in the 16th century after destruction during the 1526 uprising and later fires.

Was Mittersill Castle ever attacked or besieged?

Mittersill Castle was attacked and fell during the 1526 uprising, when it was taken, plundered and burnt. Rebuilding followed, with the English account dating the start of reconstruction to 1537. Further fires damaged the castle in 1555 and 1597, and a lightning strike caused serious damage in 1938.

Which family or clan held Mittersill Castle?

The Counts of Lechsgemünd, later styled “of Mittersill”, held Mittersill Castle as their family seat in the 12th century. Countess Marie Larisch von Moennich bought it in 1882 and commissioned renovations by Carl Gangolf Kayser. These are the specifically documented family and clan connections.

What did Mittersill Castle look like in its prime?

In its prime, Mittersill Castle had a horseshoe plan opening to the east, with a fortified curtain wall to the south. Two round turrets marked the west façade, while the southern Witches’ Tower contained an upper-floor chapel. Stone wings surrounded a central courtyard, with pitched roofs and crenellated walls following the hill’s contour.

Is Mittersill Castle still standing, or is it a ruin?

Mittersill Castle is still standing and has been restored rather than left as a ruin. Its present form reflects the 16th-century rebuilding after it was plundered and burnt in 1526, followed by repairs after fires in 1555 and 1597. The building survived further fire damage in 1938 and was fully repaired after the Second World War.

Can you visit Mittersill Castle?

Mittersill Castle can be visited because it is a hotel open to the public and also has a restaurant. The building was bought by two local families in 2009; a restaurant opened in 2010, and rooms were first rented out in summer and winter 2011. It is also designated among the listed objects in Austria.

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