Werfen is a city in Austria, located in the Pongau region in the valley of the Salzach river, about 40 kilometres South of Salzburg. Werfen is located in the centre of the valley, surrounded by mountain chains.

The town was established to the South of the Hohenwerfen fortress, which was built in the year 1075 Salzburg by order of Archbishop Gebhard to protect the Salzburger land. In 1278, the Archbishopric of Salzburg received the status of a sovereign Principality of the Holy Roman Empire, becoming, in fact, an independent state.

In 1524 in Germany began the peasant war, which greatly affected the land of Salzburg. The peasants were raging and maraud, besieged Werfen in 1525, almost completely destroyed the Hohenwerfen castle. Following in their path lay Hohensalzburg castle, the peasants didn't destroy. The rebellion was stopped, all the peasants surrendered to Prince Matteus von Wellenburg, which forced them to rebuild their Hohenwerfen castle. Today the castle is one of the major tourist attractions of Werfen.

The second important attraction in Werfen ice cave Eisriesenwelt, which is considered one of the largest in the world. The length of the cave is 42 kilometers, is located near Hohenwerfen castle. Each year, this unique natural attraction in Werfen is visited by over 200,000 tourists from around the world.

In the Cave there are several interesting churches, the Baroque parish Church of St. James 17th-century Capuchin Church of Mariahilf, built in the 18th century.