Visited August 2025
| Location | Salzburg |
| Entrance Fee | No |
| Railway Station Nearby | Yes- Salzburg Station |
| Parking | City Centre |
| Facilities | Cafe, Toilets, Giftshop |
Although the main defensive site in Salzburg is undoubtedly Hohensalzburg Castle, there are other fortifications which also helped to protect the city against attack. High up above the pretty medieval streets, sits a large , turreted defensive wall, which was funded by the rich burghers, or middle class citizens of the town. The burghers also funded a militia to keep Salzburg safe, and this was in force until 1816.
Review
The fortification was built in 1487, during the rule of the Prince Archbishop ( this was the title of the ruler of the city state of Salzburg) Bernhard von Rohr. It consisted of eight towers, which are still in place today. It was a crucial part of the defence of Salzburg up until the arrival of gunpowder based weapons. The wall could not withstand an onslaught from the force of cannons and other ordnance, and so its importance diminished.
Today the Fortifications are a great vantage point to view the city. They were renovated in 1950 and the line of the wall can be followed along its entirenty. At the eastern end they link up to Hohensalzburg Fortress and you can walk along the route of the wall to the castle.
It is a pleasant walk with great views, and is very green and wooded up at the top by the wall, which makes it very pleasant in the height of summer when the heat in the middle of Salzburg can be challenging. They are a couple of cafes along the route, and on the day we were there we found an ice cream stall. The route is mostly fenced so is safe for young children, but as ever keep them well supervised as there are some big drops over the walls.
The practicalities- you can walk up to the top of the hill if you would like, but we made it easier on ourselves and took the lift which is situated at the 'Museum der Moderne'. The lift station at ground level can be found at the end of the Gstättengasse in the Old Town. You can buy a return ticket and come down by lift when you have finished, or a one-way up or down and walk the other way.
At the top of the lift is the Salzburg Modern gallery. You can incorporate this into your visit to the walls if you like- but we cannot say if it is any good as we didn't go in. Instead we headed straight out of the lift onto the terrace for the views, then walked the walls from there as a starting point.
There are toilets, a gift shop and a beautiful terrace cafe overlooking the city at the top of the lift. We found a walk up along the walls to be enjoyable for all ages, and was a welcome relief away from the heat of the city.
More info: Salzburg City Walls
