Reiterhöhe Blick auf die Plainburg

“Plainburg? You mean the one with the spooky ghost story?” My friend asks, her voice hushed. “Yes, the Plainburg, the one they say is haunted by a child’s spirit.” The Reiterhöhe Blick auf die Plainburg, the viewpoint that overlooks the Salzburg countryside, is a peaceful spot in a peaceful setting. It’s not a place that lends itself to spooky stories, but for centuries, the ruins of the Plainburg Castle that lie a bit further away have been the subject of local legends. As we stand here, the wind whispering through the grass, it is hard to imagine the Plainburg as anything other than a beautiful piece of the Salzburg landscape. This was once the heart of the Plain family, powerful lords who, in the 12th century, ruled these lands. The Plainburg Castle, built around 1100 by Count Werigand of Plain, was a testament to their power. This castle, now a crumbling ruin, was a strategic stronghold, guarding key trade routes through the region. The castle, however, fell into disrepair until the 1970s when restoration work brought about a gruesome discovery: the skeleton of a child buried in the wall. Legend says a Plain count’s child was kidnapped by a rival, and the count later found the child dead, served as a gruesome meal. The story remains a chilling reminder of the castle’s history, and even here, on the Reiterhöhe overlooking the Plainburg ruins, the legend lingers in the wind.