Page 186 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide 2016 - Austria

184  a ustria region b y region

Anna Plochl, daughter of the
local postmaster. The Archduke,
who made many important
contributions to the life of
Styria, was a grandson of Maria
Theresa, the 13th child of future
Emperor Leopold II.
The former seat of the Salt
Office, in Chlumeckyplatz, is a
lovely 14th-century building
which now houses the city’s
regional museum with its
exhibition on salt mining.
The 13th-century, Romanesque
St Paul’s church has a notable
stone statue of the Madonna.
Environs: A scenic road
The resort of Ramsau, famed for cross-country skiing northwest of Bad Aussee will
take you to Altausseer See and
s Ramsau Kali-Kinderklettersteig. The old the Loser peak. On the road is
waterwheel creaks into motion an old salt mine, open to the
Road map D4. * 2,800. @
Tel (03687) 81 833. ∑ ramsau.com on Friday afternoons. public. During World War II it
was reputedly used to hide
At an altitude of 1,000 m (3,280 ft) E Alpinmuseum works of art.
lies the small town of Ramsau Tel (03687) 70 63 836. Open May–Oct:
am Dachstein, renowned for its 10am–4pm daily. 8 on request.
superb cross-country ski runs, P Wassermühle Rössing f Admont
extending over some 230 km Tel (03687) 81 874. Open mid-Jun–Sep. Road map E4. * 5,000. @
(143 miles). Snow is almost £ Tel (03613) 21160-10 .
guar anteed from November until
March and the efficient inter- d Bad Aussee At the centre of the village of
connecting system of lifts, cable Road map D4. * 4,800. @ Admont stands a Benedictine
cars, trains and buses also puts £ Tel (03622) 54040-0. abbey whose importance once
more difficult runs within easy reached far beyond the region.
reach. The peaks opposite the Bad Aussee, the main town Built in the 11th century and
Dachstein massif have slopes that in the Styrian part of the often rebuilt, it burned down
are perfectly suited to moderately Salzkammergut, lies at the fork in 1865, but the fire spared its
skilled downhill skiers. In the sum- of the Traun river, which cuts priceless collection: with nearly
mer the Loipen or cross-country a scenic gorge between the 160,000 volumes, it is said to
ski runs turn into excellent Dachstein massif and the Totes hold the world’s largest
long-distance walking routes. Gebirge (Dead Mountains). monastic library. The library’s
From the Ramsau side visitors The region’s original wealth magnificent Rococo interior,
can ascend the famous Dachstein was founded on its salt deposits. dating from 1773, was designed
south face by cable car. Cable Later, Bad Aussee achieved by the Viennese architect Josef
cars also travel up Hunerkogel renewed fame when, in 1827, Hueber. The large hall holding
(2,694 m/8,836 ft), from where a Archduke Johann married two-storey cabinets is 72 m
lovely panoramic view of the
area unfolds. The descent takes
you to nearby Filzmoos, a resort
with views of the spectacular
Bischofsmütze (Bishop’s Mitre).
There are many attractions on
offer in Ramsau, such as feeding
alpine animals and night tobog-
gan runs. The Alpinmuseum
illustrates the history of
mountaineering in the region.
The Wassermühle Rössing is one
of several waterwheels that has
been built in the area since the
17th century. It lies at the foot
of Sattelberg, near the start of
the children’s via ferrata, the A picturesque street in Bad Aussee
For hotels and restaurants in this region see pp295–6 and pp318–20

184-185_EW_Austria.indd 184 03/09/15 5:43 pm
Eyewitness Travel LAYERS PRINTED:
Catalogue template “UK” LAYER
(Source v2.1)
Date 5th December 2012
Size 125mm x 217mm