Freyung - Info point Geyersberg
UPPER GOLDEN TRAIL, CASTLE SITE, PLACE OF EXECUTION, GALLOW AND WHEEL
Geyersberg, a former fortified hill top and place of execution
Imagine you’ve been riding your pack horses for hours on a sunny day in fall in the 14th century. In the distance, you can already see the castle site of Geyersberg, knowing that it won‘t be far to Markt Freyung. Unfortunately, there is no evidence left from the former castle site which was built to protect the sovereigns of the country and the nearby "Upper Goldsteig Trail", leading to Bergreichenstein. The settlement "Geyersberg" was first mentioned in a document in 1424 – it probably existed along the castle site. Not far away, you can see several descriptions of land, indicating a gallow hill, a place of execution or torture hill – depicted on an old map with a gallow and a wheel. All those sentenced to death were hung or put on the Wheel there until the vultures (in German "Geier") took the remainings of the executed bodies. Thus, Geyersberg describes a place of execution.
Usage of the toll revenues
- maintenance of paths, removal of obstancles
- expansion of paths, for example through „spikes“ (split logs used as a basis)
- protection by armed watchmen on horseback
- construction of castles and fortified hill tops as a safeguard
- the Diocese of Passau (former convent of Niedernburg)
