The chief place north of Salzburg, in a loop of the Salzach where a rock and rapids force boats to unload: salt from Hallein passes here and Laufen's boatmen carry it on.
The archbishops developed it from about 1050, struck pennies here in the 12th century, held church councils (1129, 1160 and around 1200), and Barbarossa held a court day at its castle on 29 March 1166. Oberndorf across the river is its suburb. Walls and town status grew in the 12th century without a known charter.
Who holds it
- Name
- Archbishop Adalbert III of Salzburg
- Title
- Lord of the town
- Since
- Archbishops' lordship built up from about 1050
- Confidence
- high
Lord in 1200
Archbishop Adalbert III.
How things stand that morning
The archbishop's town; the counts of Lebenau sit at their castle just downstream.
Charter
No charter recorded; town walls and status emerged in the early to mid 12th century.
Communities
Boatmen and shipmasters; the Oberndorf suburb.
Walls and castle
Castle (court day of 1166) and town walls; no bridge recorded before 1278.
Trade and crafts
Salt shipping and transshipment at the rapids, boatbuilding, lodging, tolls; the shipmasters' ordinance is later (1267).
Where the sources disagree
Evidence: de.wikipedia (Laufen) dates the councils, the mint and the 1166 court day.
Primary sources for Salzburg (Adalbert III)
Chronicles, registers, sagas and inscriptions written in or near 1200 that cover this entry. Each has its own page with editions, translations and where to read it.
- Annals of Schäftlarn and the Bavarian annals (12th and 13th centuries). Brief Bavarian annals. Read online
- The Austrian and Salzburg annals (kept in the 12th and 13th centuries, with continuations to the late 13th century). A family of monastic annals from Austria, Styria and Salzburg, printed together. Read online
- Bavarian monuments: the charters of the Bavarian monasteries and bishoprics (charters from the 8th century onward, published 1763 to 1916). The great charter series of Bavaria, arranged by monastery and bishopric. Read online
Sources and studies
Last revised 4 November 2026. Published 4 November 2026. Suggest a correction on the OMNIA Discord.