landscapes - Austria / II. Republic of Austria 1977 - 7.50 Shilling

The Hohensalzburg Fortress is one of the largest castles in Central Europe and is the best-preserved castle in southern Germany. Its architectural history can be equated with the war history of the early Archdiocese of Salzburg. As a builder of the fortress is Archbishop Gebhard (1060-1088), who started as a staunch supporter of the pope in the investiture dispute to secure his diocese three castles, Salzburg, Werfen and Friesach. Only Archbishop Konrad I von Abensberg (1106-1147) was able to complete the construction of these three castles. The peak of construction activity around the fortress Hohensalzburg was achieved under Archbishop Leonhard von Keutschach (1495-1519). He gave the fortress except for some additions and conversions today's appearance. For fear of peasant uprisings he strengthened the castle significantly. He created princely residential and representative buildings and promoted the expansion of the fortifications. The only real threat in its history was experienced by the fortress in the Peasants' War of 1525, otherwise it was never seriously besieged or even taken. The fort gained notoriety in the years 1612-1617, when Archbishop Wolf Dietrich von Raitenau, deprived of his dignity, was imprisoned at the fortress until his death in 1617.