Burgstall Amerang

The Burgstall Amerang stands on a rocky outcrop 570 metres above sea level northwest of Kugelbachbauern, just across from Burg Karlstein in the Bad Reichenhall district of Karlstein. The site occupies steep, rough ground that is difficult to reach, so the ruins are not open to the public. A small plateau still shows traces of the ring wall, about 1.1 metres thick, which once enclosed the tower. The archbishop of Salzburg probably built the castle between 1140 and 1180 as a counter-fortress to Burg Karlstein. In the mid-13th century it appears in records as ‘Amrange’. Duke Heinrich XIII destroyed it in 1262, along with nearby Vager and Kirchberg castles. Archaeologists found bent arrowheads from the late 13th century, suggesting a brief but violent end. The lack of burning traces shows the walls were deliberately broken rather than burnt down. The Amerang site lies on the Reichenhaller Burgenweg, a 30-kilometre circular trail that passes seventeen castles, palaces and fortifications around Bad Reichenhall. The path offers views across the rugged terrain towards Burg Karlstein. Walkers follow the route marked by the local heritage club, which also publishes a guide to the castles in the area.