Exploring a castle usually allows visitors to recreate the mystical feeling we often associate with our favourite fairytales, stories of heroic battles or tragic love affairs.
However, one medieval castle in the mountainous countryside of Salzburg, Austria, has instead become an ideal destination for dark tourists seeking a site infused with the supernatural.
Moosham Castle is considered one of the most haunted places in Europe.
Possibly built on the foundations of a Roman castrum fortress, the castle was first documented in 1191 and was later rebuilt and extended during the medieval period.
However, it is the events of the late 1600s that enchant most visitors – the Moosham castle played a central role in the Salzburg Witch Trials between 1675 and 1690.
It was here that many accused witches were imprisoned, tortured and executed.
What made the Salzburg Witch Trials unusual was that most of the victims were male – and lots of them children.
These trials led to the execution of 139 people, with 39 children aged between 10 and 14 years old.
Archbishop Count Hieronymus von Colloredo dissolved the Moosham bailiwick in 1790, whereafter the castle decayed. In 1886, the Austrian explorer and patron of the arts Count Johann Nepomuk Wilczek purchased the ruin and had it restored.
Inside, you’ll find the dungeons, where the accused witches were kept and tortured, along with curious paintings, antiques, and other objects.
According to stories, in the 19th century, slaughtered animals like deer and cows were also found around the property. As a result, a handful of locals were apparently rounded up and killed on suspicion of being werewolves.
If that is not dark enough, visitors today also report a whole range of ghastly encounters, including feeling like someone is breathing on them.
Although it is privately owned, you can visit Moosham Castle to experience its chilling atmosphere for yourself.
“Dark tourism has emerged as a powerful lens through which we can explore places steeped in death, disaster, and suffering,” Beverley Boden – Associate Dean (Marketing and Recruitment) at Teesside University International Business School, who is currently conducting doctoral research on dark tourism – explained to Express.co.uk.
“While the term ‘tourism’ typically connotes joyous experiences of life and hope, dark tourism offers a profound opportunity for reflection and education. This form of travel has gained traction, allowing people to venture off the beaten path and say, ‘I was there, I’ve seen it’, and ‘seeing is believing’.
“Engaging in dark tourism is not merely a trip; it’s a profound voyage into history that fosters understanding and empathy. This type of tour is not yet commodified or widely published, [but] is about education and providing an accurate account using local people to tell the story of the people.”