We invite you and your children to visit Hohenwerfen Castle in Werfen, Austria. It is impressive not only because of its age (it is over 900 years old!), but also because of its picturesque, even unrealistic appearance. It's as if you're looking at a picture from a book of fairy tales or a scene from a film about knights and wizards.
There is some truth to these associations. The castle was the residence of the prince-bishops of Salzburg for many years. It was also a military training camp and even a place of detention for lawbreakers.
Remarkably, the walls of the medieval fortress became a forced refuge not only for common criminals, but also for disgraced bishops, princes and governors, many of whom never managed to leave the dungeons of Hohenwerfen.
Why did the magnificent citadel become a military base and then a prison? The reason is that in addition to its outstanding architecture, Hohenwerfen Castle in Austria also boasts a strategically advantageous location.
Its strong walls, 155 metres above the valley, are well protected by two mountain ranges to the south, making an enemy attack, let alone a single one, extremely difficult. Since the 11th century, when Archbishop Gebhard of Salzburg built Hohenwerfen Fortress, all the inhabitants of the Salzach Valley have been completely safe.
At the same time, the Battle of the Investiture broke out, an internal war fought simply because the Holy Roman Emperors and the Papacy could not share the right to consecrate bishops. Gebhard of Salzburg sided with the Pope and began to fortify the castle with various defensive works.
Archbishop Konrad I continued to fortify and expand the castle in the 12th century, and by 1278, with such impressive symbols of power and authority, the Duchy of Salzburg was able to make many political and ecclesiastical decisions on its own, without interference from its rival, Bavaria.
And by the 14th century, Salzburg had already gained its final and official independence.
The history of Werfen Castle is not only interesting but also instructive. For example, although it was built according to all the rules of defensive architecture, and even rebuilt according to the trends of artillery development, it was not taken by heavily armed soldiers during the Uprising, but by ordinary peasants who took advantage of the Lueg Pass and breached the defences.
The irony is not only that, but that after the uprising failed, all those involved in destroying the castle had to rebuild it.
The owners of Hohenwerfen Castle had learned the sad lesson of history well. As a result of this forced reconstruction, new bastions, outer walls and towers were built in the early 16th century. An armoury was also built inside the castle, which is now a museum.
The courtyard as we see it today is the result of a reconstruction in 1560. Three years later, new bastions were added, making Hohenwerfen almost a benchmark in fortification.
Until then all the architectural elements had been built in the Romanesque style, but in 1566 the new St Sigismund's Chapel was built in the Gothic style.
The beginning of the 19th century brought not only a cultural boom and technical progress, but also new wars. Napoleon's invasion meant that Salzburg lost its independence and became part of Austria, with the French taking all the weapons from the castle.
They would have left no stone unturned in the castle, but Franz II decided to preserve its historical value and even restore it.
Unfortunately, the original splendour of the princely apartments was lost when all the valuable furnishings and decorations were sold at auction in 1822. Fifty-four years later, the castle itself went under the hammer to a new owner.
Ownership of the famous and long-suffering Hohenwerfen changed hands until 1938, when the castle returned to its rightful place as the property of Salzburg and a training ground for the police. The reason for this sudden change was a fire that severely damaged the interior.
It took decades for the stone fortress of the Duchy of Salzburg to open its doors to those who wanted to experience its dramatic and heroic history.
The castle's defensive function is no longer of great importance today, as the modern road and transport infrastructure makes it possible to reach the castle from Salzburg in just 20 minutes, without any inconvenience to tourists on the way.
The castle is easily reached by cable car. That's why many families with children go there. For those who prefer active tourism, you can also walk to the top. Inside the magnificent Hohenwerfen, museums, a park and a café provide everything you need for an enjoyable outing and a comfortable stay.
The courtyard and park are now a great place for families to relax, thanks to the unique birds of prey show. There are wooden tables and benches in arched niches where you can sit down, relax and have a refreshment.
Knightly tournaments are regularly held here, and the historical authenticity of the costumes and weapons perfectly capture the atmosphere of the Middle Ages. For those who want to do more than just watch, the castle also offers themed workshops.
There are also special activities for children - guided tours, exhibitions, quizzes, quests, games and other age-appropriate entertainment. There are special educational tours for school children. There's even an audio guide especially for children.
While children can only watch the knights' tournament, anyone can try their hand at shooting at targets with a wooden bow. And there is no age limit.
Children as young as three can try their hand at archery under the guidance of an experienced instructor dressed in a medieval archery costume. Sometimes there are children's costume festivals based on various fairy tales that come to life in the castle.
Tourists can also experience some unusual attractions, such as the Ghost Well, which has its own history. During the Peasants' Revolt, a blacksmith forged swords for the rebels.
After the rebellion was crushed, the smith was imprisoned in a deep well where he spent many years, becoming blind and insane. Today, anyone who looks down into the well will see his hunched figure in filthy rags and hear his mad muttering.
No, it's not a metaphor at all, it's just a joke — of course the voice is on tape and the figure at the bottom of the well is wax. Although... who goes down there to check?
The interior of Hohenwerfen can only be visited as part of an organised tour. The tour is entirely in German, but multilingual audio guides are available for foreign visitors.
After a tour of the castle, you can take in the stunning panoramic views from high above and spend some time walking to the town of Werfen to see the world's largest ice cave, the Eisrisenwelt.
