Plainberg, Mountain summit near Bergheim, Austria

Plainberg is a hill north of Salzburg, in the municipality of Bergheim, with mixed deciduous forest covering most of its slopes. From the top, the view opens across the Salzburg basin and the surrounding countryside.

The area around the hill was inhabited in prehistoric times, as shown by tools and bronze objects found by archaeologists nearby. The Maria Plain basilica was built around 350 years ago and has shaped the appearance of the site ever since.

On the southern side of the hill stands the Maria Plain basilica, which draws pilgrims from across the region. The path leading up to it is well marked and many people walk it on foot, treating the climb as a slow, deliberate outing.

The hill is easy to reach from Bergheim train station, where marked hiking trails lead to the top. Dry weather makes the walk more comfortable, as some sections of the path can become slippery after rain.

The name derives from medieval Latin plagina, a diminutive of plaga (slope, field), with the g and final a dropped to give plain; the oldest written records are Play (1285) and Play(e)n (around 1415). The compound Plainberg is first attested in 1803. The name refers to the broad, largely treeless southern face of the hill, not to rock.