History Of Radstadt
Celtic tribes first settled in Radstadt; Its history dates back to the 4th century BC. These tribes established the Noricum kingdom, which around 15 BC became a Roman province. The Tauern Pass was a key route through the Alps, and the region was crucial to the Roman road system that now linked Salzburg to Aquileia in Italy.
First mentioned as “Rastat” in a deed dated 1074, the city saw the construction of the Radstadt fortification in the 13th century. The Pongau region was taken over by the Archbishopric of Salzburg in this period, leading to border conflicts with the Styrian Dukes of the Habsburgs. Radstadt became an important administrative center after the acquisition of city rights in 1289. The city’s main strategic objective was to safeguard the Enns Valley and the Radstädter Tauern Pass, a vital road leading to Carinthia and Aquileia. Radstadt has a Gothic church dedicated in 1417 and a 16th-century town hall.
From Radstadt’s point of view, the German Peasants’ War of 1524–1525 marked a turning point. Driven by Michael Gaismair, the people showed solidarity with Prince-Archbishop Matthäus Lang von Wellenburg and expelled an army of peasants. Notably, the city’s surviving walls – which comprise three towers erected by the besieged after their defeat – remind us of this historic struggle. Supported by the Counter-Reformation movement in the Enns Valley, the Prince-Archbishops established a Capuchin monastery in Radstadt in 1629.
After the expulsion of the Protestant population, sometimes referred to as Exulanten, in 1731-1732, demographics changed in the 18th century. Seeking asylum, they settled under the Prussian king Frederick William I in the Gumbinnen area of East Prussia. Larger projects carried out by Archbishop Leopold Anton von Firmian in various districts of Salzburg included this exile.
Today, Radstadt is a vibrant tourist town that annually attracts more visitors than its permanent population. Linked to the nearby town of Altenmarkt, the town is part of Ski Amadé, a large alpine skiing and snowboarding complex with its own ski area. This move shows Radstadt’s flexibility and how it can embrace its historical relevance while meeting the needs of modern visitors.
