Burg Kaprun (Kaprun Castle), Zell am See (must see)

Burg Kaprun, or Kaprun Castle, is one of the main medieval landmarks in the Zell am See-Kaprun region. The castle dates back to the 12th century and was built as a fortified noble residence with thick walls, a strong tower, and a defensive position. Its Romanesque features still reflect its early role in alpine lordship, local control, and protection of important routes.

The castle’s history includes destruction, rebuilding, wartime use, and rescue. During the German Peasants’ War in 1526, local rebels burned the castle, and its present form reflects the reconstruction that followed. In 1921, Prince Johann II of Liechtenstein sold it to Heinrich E. Gildemeister, a Peruvian envoy with Bremen family roots. Late in the Second World War, parts of the castle served as military quarters, while the dungeon was used as a temporary arrest cell.

After the war, the building continued to decline. Between 1945 and 1949, roofs collapsed or were removed, and parts of the northern ring wall failed. Its survival owes much to Burgverein Kaprun, which began preservation work in 1975 and purchased the structure in 1984. Today, the castle hosts guided visits, medieval-style festivals, concerts, weddings, and cultural events, allowing visitors to experience it as more than a restored ruin.

The castle contrasts with the Hundertwasser Austria Fountain, whose nine ceramic columns represent Austria’s federal states through population-scaled heights and coat-of-arms colors. Lake water circulates through plants and cascades back in a closed circuit. Completed in 2003 after Hundertwasser’s death, the fountain expresses modern ecological design, while Burg Kaprun preserves an older history of defense, conflict, decay, and local restoration.