Traunstein (Central Bavarian: Traunstoa) is a town in the south-eastern part of Bavaria, Germany, and is the administrative center of a much larger district of the same name.

The town serves as a local government, retail, health services, transport and educational center for the wider district.

The historic market square, Bavarian hospitality, local breweries, outdoor sports facilities, Easter Monday horse parade, and connections with Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, contribute to the town's profile as a tourist destination.

Although as early as 790 the church records list possessions "ad Trun" and some medieval defence constructions are known to have existed in the surroundings since the 10th century, Trauwenstein itself was first mentioned in a manuscript of the Baumburg monastery in the year 1245.

They built the castle at the border of the city plateau, which is surrounded by the River Traun as well as its close proximity to the main route of commerce.

[citation needed] In the 17th century, salt production, facilitated by the construction of a wooden brine pipeline from Bad Reichenhall brought new industry and significant wealth to the town.

[citation needed] Traunstein was spared much of the damage experienced by nearby towns during the Thirty Years' War (1618–1648).

King Maximilian II visited Traunstein on 27 April, contributed consolations and gave several thousands of guilders from his cabinet cash.

The medieval plan of the town square was preserved to a great extent; merely the façades received a new face in the style of the current time.

With the seizure of power of the National Socialists in 1933 began an active period of persecution for political dissidents and Jewish fellow citizens in Germany.

Open political resistance during the war years was limited; the town priest, Josef Stelze, was placed briefly in custody, Rupert Berger, Bavarian People's Party representative and the first post-war elected Mayor of Traunstein, was for a period incarcerated in the Dachau concentration camp.

In April 1945 the heavy air raids destroyed much of the Traunstein station area, an event in which over 100 people died.