Page 239 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Austria

SALZBURGER LAND  237

snow-covered rocky summits
of the Loferer Steinberge (Stone
Mountains). These limestone
mountains hide many caves
still waiting to be explored.
The Lamprechtsofenloch is said
to be the deepest aquiferous
cave in the world.
Environs: A short distance south
of Lofer, outside the village of
St Martin, is the pilgrimage
church Maria Kirchenthal, built
between 1693 and 1701 by
Johann Bernhard Fischer von The scenic Krimmler Wasserfälle
Erlach. It is one of the greatest
works by this outstanding archi- castle. The castle was built in the s Krimmler
tect, in which he employed 12th century and since then has Wasserfälle
some of the ideas that he had been rebuilt many times,
developed earlier in Salzburg. following its destruction during Road map C4. @
The building is blended into the Peasant Wars and numerous
the rocky mountain scenery fires. Today it is the seat of the In the northwestern part of
of the Saal ach valley, and two International Protestant Youth the Hohe Tauern National Park
white towers are prominent Community, a cultural centre (see pp282–5), on the border
against the distant snowy and a hotel. between the provinces of
mountains. The Neo-Baroque The chapel (1533) features an Salzburger Land and Tyrol,
altarpiece includes the 15th- interesting late-Gothic polyptych are the famous Krimmler
century miraculous picture attributed to an Aussee master. Wasserfälle, the waterfalls of
of the Madonna that was once St-Leonhard-Kirche was originally the Krimmler Ache, a stream
the destination for pilgrims. Gothic, but was remodelled in flowing from the glacier of
On one of the two altars, created the 18th century to a design by the same name at an altitude
by Jakob Zanussi from reddish- Johann Kleber. It contains a of around 3,000 m (9,850 ft).
pink Salzburg marble, the parents heavily ornamented Rococo The water falls in three steps,
of the Virgin Mary, St Jacob and pulpit and some remains of with a total drop of 380 m
St Anne, are depicted. the old decorations, including (1,247 ft).
an early 15th-century stone The journey to the waterfalls
statue of St Leonard. can be made by car, but a
a Mittersill Mittersill lies at the Salzburg walk along the Wasserfallweg
end of a beautiful mountain trail (waterfall path) will prove a truly
Road map C4. * 5,500. £ @
n Stadtplatz 1, (06562) 4292. leading from East Tyrol, among unforgettable experience.
∑ mittersill-tourismus.at the wild scenery of the Hohe The best starting points for
Tauern National Park. The road the walk are the Gerlos Pass or
This summer resort at the main known as Felberntauernstrasse Krimmel village. In winter, the
crossroads of the upper Salzach affords lovely views of the waterfalls freeze solid.
valley sprang up around a rugged slopes of Grossvenediger.

View of the Hohe Tauern mountains, near Mittersill

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