Plainberg

The Plainberg is a hill located primarily in the municipality of Bergheim, north of the city of Salzburg, Austria. It forms part of the Flyschzone, which lies north of the Alps, and is believed to have been inhabited since prehistoric times. The hill holds particular significance as the site of the Maria Plain pilgrimage church, considered the most important pilgrimage destination in the Salzburg region. The Plainberg also serves as a local recreation area and a popular destination for residents of the surrounding area. Nearly the entire hill is designated as a protected landscape area.

== Etymology == The name Plain derives from Medieval Latin. The word plaga (meaning slope, field, or plain) evolved into the diminutive form plagina (small slope), which, through the loss of the g and final a, became plain. The name thus refers to the sloping terrain of the hill. The naming likely draws inspiration from the expansive, largely treeless southern slope in the west. The earliest documented references to the name appear as Play in 1285 and Play(e)n around 1415.