Burgruine Thurnschall

The Burgruine Thurnschall stands on a rocky hill above the Lessach valley in Salzburg. It was built in the 13th century as a hilltop fortress and changed hands several times before falling into disrepair. The ruins today belong to the Austrian Federal Forests. The site lost its military importance after Salzburg’s archbishop acquired the surrounding land. Archaeologists have uncovered thick stone walls and found a 16th-century gun support fork among the remains. A legend tells of the Thurnschallweibl, a ghost said to guard hidden treasure in the cellar. Visitors reach the ruin by leaving the road along the Lessachbach and following an old path uphill. The polygonal tower still rises eight metres, with traces of the enclosing wall fanning out from it. A long curtain wall overlooks the steep drop to the stream below. Inside the ruins lies a circular courtyard, and part of the underground chamber can still be seen. The site is reached by turning off the main road between Tamsweg and Lessach and crossing a small bridge.