Goldegg Castle

Goldegg Castle stands on a rocky outcrop on the north shore of Lake Goldegg (St. Johann im Pongau district, Salzburg).

The date of the first fortress is unknown, but it was likely built by the Lords of Goldegg, an influential ministerial family in Salzburg. After political conflicts in the early 1300s, they were granted permission to build a new castle in 1323, which also protected the road between Pongau and Pinzgau. Parts of today’s structure go back to this medieval castle.

The Goldegg family died out in 1400, and the castle passed through several hands, often amid inheritance disputes and conflicts with the Salzburg archbishops. It was occupied, sold, repurchased, and repeatedly rebuilt. In the 16th century, Christoph Graf von Schernberg converted the medieval fortress into a more comfortable Renaissance residence, adding a new wing, inner courtyard, and the richly decorated Knight’s Hall.

After his family line ended, the archbishops took over the castle again in the early 1600s. Over the following centuries, it served as the seat of local administrators and was frequently praised by visiting writers. In the 1800s, it became a state building, with some rooms converted into a court and jail.

In 1859, Count Max O’Donell bought and extensively restored the castle, giving it its present appearance. It changed ownership several times before being used by the Nazi Reich Labor Service after 1938. From 1949, it served as a youth and retreat center for the Archdiocese of Salzburg. In 1973, it became the property of the municipality of Goldegg.

Address
Hofmark 1, Goldegg im Pongau, Austria

Established
14th century