38th Inter-Agency Games 2011
A warm welcome to the
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Breathtaking Scenery
The Traunsee holiday region is known as the eastern gateway into the Salzkammergut. Here, the Alpine foothills merge picturesquely into the magnificent mountain world of the northern Tyrolean limestone Alps and, right in the midst of all this splendour, is the crystal-clear lake; 12 km long, 3 km wide and 191 m deep, making it the deepest lake in Austria. The prominent, impressive Traunstein (1691 m), whose steep cliff face rises up 1200 metres over the Traunsee, is not only a landmark in the Traunsee region but also the guardian of the Salzkammergut. The Dead Mountains and the Hell Mountains surround the Traunsee to the south and add greatly to the impressiveness of the scenery.
Longing for the Lakes
The elegant film and ceramic town of GMUNDEN and the three leisure areas ALTMÜNSTER, TRAUNKIRCHEN and EBENSEE are directly on the banks of the Traunsee. Each of these four places has its own irresistible charm and all have their own individual and unmistakable character. Incidentally, in the Traunsee holiday region, along with the Traunsee itself, there are also the other lakes Laudachsee, Offensee, the Langbathsee lakes and the Taferlklaussee, which are amongst the most beautiful types of mountain lake even though they are easy to reach and accessible. Here, you can literally let the countryside soothe your soul.
Welcoming Hosts, Culinary Programme to pamper you
What would a holiday be without good food, comfortable accommodation and real hospitality? Around Traunsee there are some 250 hosts to look after their guests’ needs – from four-star hotels directly on the lakeside to baby farms, from holiday flats with their own beach to comfortable, self-catering lodges at 1600 m. The gastronomy ranges from Alpine inns to star-chef restaurants, from fish restaurants to well-kept pubs. Although the emphasis is on regional cuisine with the best ingredients, fans of international food will not be disappointed either. 15 restaurateurs have joined together to form the “Traunsee Innkeepers” and are dedicated to providing the highest quality and intensive cooperation. At the Traunsee the guest can feel that there is a sense of collaboration and not confrontation. That is a further sign that this really is a region for well-being!
Journey through the Millennia
If you also enjoy taking a stroll amongst historical remains on your holiday as well as relaxing, you can easily go on a journey here which will take you through 20,000 years of history; visiting relevant museums or well-designed theme paths which you can find in all four Traunsee locations, such as the Millennium Path in Gmunden or the Via Historica in Traunkirchen. Even the ancient Romans called the Traunsee lacus felix, the happy lake – a sign that they felt very comfortable here. The Traunkirchen monastery was the religious and economic centre from 1020 until the Habsburgs took over control and for whom white gold, i.e. salt, became the centre of attraction. Gmunden was already a well-off salt trading town in the Middle Ages. Until the 19th century, this flourishing branch of business was the exclusive source of trade in the Salzkammergut, which was treated like a state within a state in the Austrian Empire. They had their own laws and privileges, and no one was allowed to enter without a special permit. Gmunden’s beautiful old town and many historical buildings around the Traunsee bear witness to the importance of the region at that time.
An erstwhile Place for Artists and the Aristocracy to Cavort
Due to the proximity of the Emperor’s summer residence in Bad Ischl and the start of the traditional summer break, both Gmunden (a spa town since 1862) and the whole of the Traunsee region soon became an exclusive and elegant location for the holiday period. The Great Dukes of Tuscany, the Kings of Hanover and the Dukes of Wurttemberg all built themselves impressive estates, like Cumberland Palace, the Wurttemberg Palace or the Villa Toscana to name but a few. Artists of world-renown like Nikolaus Lenau, Franz Schubert, Friedrich Hebbel, Johannes Brahms, Arnold Schönberg, Hugo Wolf and also contemporary figures such as Thomas Bernhard spent relaxing times here, leaving behind their mark on the place.
Nostalgia and "Grungeflammtes"
The first horse-drawn railway on the continent led directly from the Rathausplatz in Gmunden to Budweis (1836-1856). It is possible to walk along one part of the track on the horse-drawn railway theme path. Traunsee shipping (founded in 1839) is the oldest lake shipping in Austria. Its flagship, the Gisela, is also the oldest coal-fired paddle-steamer in the world (built in 1871). In the summer months, the honourable old dame conveys her guests just as elegantly and reliably as way back when. The Gmunden tramway (since 1894) operates nostalgic trains and the Traunsee Railway also offers unforgettable impressions. The Gmunden Ceramic Factory (since 1903) exports to the whole world and keeps its doors open to visitors. Its most famous design – the “Grüngeflammte” (green-flamed) – can be found in almost every Austrian household and is one of the symbols of Austria. The International Ceramic Symposium, the ceramic glockenspiel on the town hall and the ceramic fountain on Rinnholzplatz are just a few examples of why Gmunden is rightly the ceramic town in Austria.
Traunsee Highlites
The Grünberg and Feuerkogel Cable Car take you up to wonderful mountain summits and guaranteed dream panoramas. The Höhenwildpark Hochkreut houses indigenous wild animals in a unique setting and gives you the chance to learn about frogs, mushrooms and birds on the interesting nature trails. Wildpark Hochkreut, the Gmunden Ceramic Factory, Traunsee shipping, the Grünberg and Feuerkogel Cable Car and the Traunsee Railway have joined together to become the Traunsee Highlights in order to jointly network and market their range of tourist offers.
Living Tradition and high Civilisation
The programme of events at the Traunsee ranges from the Gmunden Festival Weeks to the International Ceramic Symposium, from the Austrian Pottery Market in Gmunden to the Wood Market in Traunkirchen and the Festival of Short Films in Ebensee. How deeply the population is rooted in tradition is shown in the many traditional customs events, some of which have been taking place for centuries, such as the Fronleichnams-Seeprozession Corpus Christi Lake Procession) in Traunkirchen (since 1632), the *Liebstattsonntag in Gmunden (since 1641), the Glöcklerlauf in Ebensee (19th century) or the *Ebensee Fetzenumzug (18th century) around Shrove Tuesday. Authenticity is not just a meaningless expression here. For museum fans there is a wide and high-quality choice – from exhibition rooms dedicated exclusively to Johannes Brahms and Friedrich Hebbel in the Kammerhof Museum in Gmunden to the “curious” collection of furnishings and fixtures at the Klo & So Museum. The lives of the “small and poor people” are also commemorated in places such as the Ebensee or Viechtau Heimathaus or the Eggerhaus in Altmünster. The motto of the new, remarkable cooperation between all the Traunsee museums is “Museums that move”.
A Palace as a Television Star
The lake palace Orth has managed what many actors can only dream of! It has been discovered by television. The television series Schlosshotel Orth has become the most successful TV series of all time for the Austrian and German TV companies ORF and ZDF. The series is shown on international TV, for example in Switzerland, Slovakia and Hungary, and it is also broadcast via satellite to the Benelux countries, Great Britain, France and Italy. Since 2000, Schlosshotel Orth has even been broadcast in China and achieved ratings of 35 million households! The 9th and final season was filmed in autumn 2004. In reality this charming palace, which is built on a small island and is only connected to the shore via a 120 m-long wooden bridge, is a popular tourist attraction but also a favourite location for weddings and events. Every year – in front of this picturesque backdrop – around 300 couples take their vows.
A Moving Holiday
Wonderful hiking routes, Alpine mountain and climbing tours, mountain-bike routes at all levels of difficulty, all kinds of water sports, tennis, panoramic riding paths and riding arenas, skiing in the Feuerkogel family ski area, cross-country skiing, skating, snow-shoe hiking… there is hardly a sport which you cannot do in the Traunsee holiday region. But a total feeling of well-being involves body, spirit and soul being brought into harmony, being suitably relaxed and healthily nourished. That’s why “Life Coaching” is unique in Austria, with the wide number of options offered by “Lacus Felix”, all run by highly professional medics and health trainers. The choice ranges from Yoga to Qi Gong, Ayurveda to Tai Chi, Chinese Dietics and TCM health advice, regulation therapy to bio-resonance. This kind of relaxation holiday is just the time to start rethinking your own habits and lay some foundations for a more aware and healthy life.
