Gutrat Castle Ruins

At 622 meters above sea level, the ruins of Gutrat Castle (also spelled Guetrath) stand perched on a limestone outcrop high above the Salzach Valley. The castle's significance was brief: built in 1198 to protect the salt deposits on the Tuval Mountain, it was left to decay in 1304 after the saltworks dried up. Little of the once imposing complex remains today, but the palace and keep are still clearly visible. A few rusty monsters lurk on the grounds: works of art made from scrap metal. The path from Au is steep and arduous, and finally, the path leads up steel ramps and stairs to the castle.

Gutrat Castle was built to protect the salt mines rediscovered in the 12th century at the foot of the Tuval mountain north of Hallein by order of Archbishop Adalbert III. The burgrave of Hohenwerfen, Chuno von Werfen-Schnaitsee, was commissioned to build the castle.Chuno von Werfen was a ministerial (servant) of the Archbishop of Salzburg. From 1209, Chuno called himself "von Gutrat" after his castle, which was probably already completed and owned by him by then. The Gutrat fortress was intended to strengthen the Archbishop's power over the Salzach Valley and to finally decide the disputed ownership rights with the Prince-Provostship of Berchtesgaden in favor of the Archbishopric of Salzburg.After the salt mines dried up, the castle quickly lost its importance. After the death of the last Gutrater in 1304, the castle was left to decay. Between 2002 and 2004 it was renovated by the State of Salzburg and is now privately owned [Source: Wikipedia]

Especially in the evening hours, it is recommended to discover the castle where we were once born. It is wonderful ✨️