Burgruine Hieburg, Castle ruin in Neukirchen am Großvenediger, Austria.

Burgruine Hieburg consists of weathered stone remains perched on a hillside overlooking the valley of Neukirchen am Großvenediger and the surrounding peaks. The ruins show how the structure once dominated this mountain landscape, with open views extending across multiple ridges and slopes.

The castle was built before 1290 as a fortified stronghold controlling the valley and mountain passages of the Salzburg region. Over the centuries it lost its military importance and gradually decayed into the ruins that stand today.

The name Hieburg replaced the original name Mairhofen over the centuries. The castle was first documented in 1290 through its owner Walter von Neukirchen, and by 1297 Friedrich von Velben had expanded it with wooden outbuildings and a high ring wall. Visitors can still trace the ring wall, the 11 by 11 metre foundation of the bergfried and the line of the former moat.

Since March 2009, entering the ruin has been prohibited because of the risk of collapse. The remains lie in woodland just before the climb to the Gerlos Pass, above the Rosental district of Neukirchen am Großvenediger. Visitors can view the ring wall, the 11-by-11-metre tower base and traces of the moat from the outside.

The ruins remain in their original hillside location, never relocated or reconstructed since their medieval days. This unchanged position allows visitors to see exactly where the fortress once commanded the valley below.