Hallstatt
Hallstätter See, Upper Austria
Clinging to a steep slope of the Dachstein (9,820 ft) in the Salzkammergut,
the beautiful lakeside village of Hallstatt is the site of an early neolithic
civilization that mined the salt of the region and distributed it throughout
Europe. Salt mining began as early as 3,000 BC. The “Hallstatt
Period” of European archeology falls between 1000-500 BC. The Parish
Church of St. Michael – that emerges from the trees on the side of the
Dachstein – contains a winged altar carved by Lienhart Astil in 1515.
Behind the church is the Ossuary, containing decorated skulls from the
15th century on. Due to the lack of space in the cemetery, the right
to a grave expires after 15 years, and skulls are lovingly decorated and
placed in the Ossuary. The steeple of the Protestant church at the
edge of the lake is the town’s most recognizable structure. The Protestant
Church at Hallstatt was built on the lakeshore in the 19th century.
The picturesque Heimatmuseum at Hallstatt houses collections of folklore
and history from the region.
Copyright © 1999 Richard Jaklitsch
The Protestant Church at Hallstatt
Neo-Gothic 1862
Located in the district of Gmunden in the province of Upper Austria, the
market town of Hallstatt is situated at an altitude of 1,677 feet, on the
south-western shore of Lake Hallstatt, at the foot of Plassen Mountain
(6,412 ft) in the Salzkammergut region. With a population of 1,153
residents within an area of 37 square miles, Hallstatt contains the Höhere
Technische Lehranstalt (a technical/engineering school), the Hallstatt
Cultural and Convention Center, and the Hallstätter Mountain Railway
to the Rudolfsturm tower (2,807 ft). Northwest of Hallstatt lies
the Salzberg Mountain, which is the site of the oldest salt mine in the
world. This mountain also contains cemeteries from the Hallstatt
and La Tène periods, an exhibition mine, a pre-historic museum,
and a museum of local history and culture. Each year, over 80,000
visitors stay in Hallstatt, while thousands more visit the town on day-trips.
The lakeside town is one of the more recognizable images of Austria.
The burial field at Hallstatt - excavated from 1846 by J. Ramsauer,
who unearthed 980 graves and nearly 20,000 objects - is one of Austria´s
most important and best-known archaeological sites, giving the Late Iron
Age in Central and Western Europe the name of Hallstatt. The
magnificent funerary objects stand as testament to the wealth accumulated
by these ancient peoples through salt mining. There is a Roman settlement
in the Lahn quarter at the entrance to the Echerntal valley. Curtain
waterfalls of the Spraterbach stream, falling 312 feet, can also be found
at Waldbachstrub.
Among the oldest structures in Hallstatt is the late-Gothic hall church,
the Parish Church of St. Michael. Begun in 1320, St. Michael contains
a twin choir (1505), an above portal (1519), frescos (1490-1507), and an
ornate late-Gothic twin winged altarpiece (1505-1515), attributed to Lienhart
Astl. The church also contains a painted winged altarpiece (1450-1460)
and a monumental late-Gothic Crucifixion group (1510-1520) - attributed
to a circle of artists associated with Astl. The Gothic memorial
chapel in the cemetery contains a glass painting of St. Michael from around
1450. The town also contains a Trinity Column, constructed in 1744.
Many of the town's lovely houses date from the 15th and 16th centuries.
Copyright © 1999 Richard Jaklitsch
Mt. Löser
North of Altausee, Styria
Located east of Bad Ischl, this scenic road climbs the majestic Mt.
Loser (5,250 ft), which overlooks the beautiful Altausseer See. This
part of the province is known as the Steiermark Salzkammergut.
Copyright © 1999 Richard Jaklitsch
Leopoldskron
Salzburg
This 18th century castle was used as one of the sets for “The Sound
of Music”. Some of the scenes filmed here include the children falling
in the water, the Captain & Baroness drinking lemonade, the Captain
& Maria dancing in the ballroom, and the famous gazebo scene with Rolf
and Liezl. Located on the outskirts of Salzburg, Leopoldskron was
built in 1744 as the summer residence for Prince-archbishop Leopold Anton
Firmian by Father Bernhard Stuart, a Benedictine monk and professor of
Mathematics at Salzburg University. In 1918, the German film director
Max Reinhardt acquired the castle for cultural purposes. It is now
leased by the Seminar for American Studies, an organization based out of
Cambridge, dedicated to teaching American culture.
Copyright © 1999 Richard Jaklitsch
Parish Church at Mondsee
Mondsee, Upper Austria
Located on the northern shore of Lake Mondsee in the district of Vöcklabruck
in Upper Austria, Mondsee is situated at an altitude of 1,579 feet, and
contains a population of 2,600 in an area of just over 10 square miles.
It is known as a summer tourist resort (with over 93,000 overnight stays).
Mondsee is the home of the Institute of Limnology (Austrian Academy of
Sciences), as well as the lake-dwelling museum, and a museum of local history
and culture dedicated to the Mondsee Abbey Culture. The "Mondseer
Rauchhaus", an open air museum, is dedicated to the Salzburg local railway
(1891-1957).
In 1864, late-Neolithic lake-dwellings were discovered at Mondsee.
The town is also the site of the Benedictine abbey, founded in 748 by the
Bavarian Duke Odilo. It was closed in 1791. The castle was
rebuilt after a fire in 1776, with the cloister and chapterhouse of the
medieval abbey, dating from 1448, being preserved. The oldest German
translation of the Bible was written here.
Consecrated in 1104, the Gothic parish church (below), with its impressive
pseudo-basilica, was rebuilt between 1463-1499 with diamond net vaults
and a crypt under the high choir. The façade and towers of
the church were remodelled in the 17th century. The Lady Chapel,
façade, and towers were remodelled after 1730 by A. Salla.
The pulpit and altars were sculpted by Meinrad Guggenbichler (1649-1723),
known as the Sculptor of Mondsee, between 1680-1690. In recent
years, the church has become famous for its use as the setting for the
wedding scene in the “The Sound of Music”, filmed here in 1964.
Copyright © 1999 Richard Jaklitsch
.
...
