Grundlsee
Northeast of Bad Ausee, Styria
If Bad Ischl owed its fortune to Franz Josef, the great man of Bad
Ausee was the Archduke Johann. His long contested romance with the
local postman’s daughter Anna Plochl and his clandestine marriage at Brandhof
in 1827 filled the romantic chronicles of the period – insuring the popularity
of the prince. The prince and the postman's daughter met for the
first time near this site, which is about six miles northeast of the town
of Bad Ausee.
Copyright © 1999 Richard Jaklitsch
Situated at an altitude of 2,325 feet, Grundlsee is 3.5 miles long, 0.6 miles wide, and 210 feet deep. This alpine lake is located northeast of Bad Aussee in the Styrian part of the Salzkammergut region. The largest lake in Styria, Grundlsee is fed by the streams that drain the Toplitzsee and Kammersee lakes. Due to the depth of the lake, the water temperature is comparatively low. On the shores of Grundlsee, there are three municipalities: Gößl (a summer holiday resort), Wienern, and Grundlsee.
Copyright © 1999 Richard Jaklitsch
Copyright © 1999 Richard Jaklitsch
Copyright © 1999 Richard Jaklitsch
Bad Ausee
Northwestern Styria
Just southwest of Grundlsee in the beautiful Styrian Salzkammergut,
Bad Aussee is one of the region's most popular resort towns. Located
in the district of Liezen, Bad Ausee is situated at 2,164 feet with a population
of 5,058 within an area of 51 square miles. It is known for its spa,
which offers a medicinal brine bath and Kneipp therapy, named after the
German priest Kneipp who used a combination of cold water treatment, diets,
and outdoor exercise. The town lies at the confluence of the three
source rivers of the River Traun in the Ausseer Land region. The
main income sources for Bad Ausee are tourism (with 218,262 overnight stays),
production of plaster boards, machines, and upholstery fabrics, and salt
works in Unterkainisch.
Bad Ausee began to flourish in the Middle Ages, when salt works started operating during the late 13th century. It was raised to the status of a market town in 1295. The parish church of St. Paul was built in the Romanesque and late Gothic styles at the close of the 13th century. The church contains the Gothic Madonna (dating from 1420), the Sacrament House (1523), the Hospital Church (erected before 1395) with its two Gothic altar-pieces with movable wings (from the 15th century), and several impressive frescoes.
The most important building in the town of Bad Ausee is the Kammerhof (below), which was built before 1200, and housed the salt administration until 1926. Today, the building serves as a cultural center, comprised of a museum, a town library, and a games rental center. The town's quiet charm comes in part from the many 15th century houses that form a harmonious ensemble. Bad Ausee is the birthplace of Anna Plochl, the postman's daughter who fell in love, and later married Archduke Johann of Habsburg. Each year, Bad Ausee sponsors a music festival that lasts for several weeks. Every Spring, the Narcissus Festival is held in Bad Ausee, where large floral sculptures, made from narcissus blossoms, are displayed. This part of Styria is also known for its world famous folk music. West of the town, the skyline is dominated by the mountains Zinkenkogel (6,009 ft) and Hoher Sarstein (6,485 ft).
Copyright © 1999 Richard Jaklitsch
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