Geography Of Bad Gastein
Within the Pongau region of Salzburg state, Bad Gastein is located in the Gastein Valley. Approximately 1,000 meters above sea level, the town spans 171 km2. Districts within the town include Badbruck, Böckstein, Remsach, and Kötschachdorf. Municipalities of Dorfgastein, Bad Hofgastein, Mallnitz, Rauris, and Großarl abut the town.
High mountains of the Hohe Tauern range around the town, which is situated in the Alpine area. Reaching 3,252 meters, the Ankogel is the tallest mountain in the town’s immediate area. The Gastein Ache river, which generates many waterfalls including the 341-meter-tall Gastein waterfall, also crosses the town.
Location and Surroundings
Bad Gastein is a town in southern Salzburg, close to the Carinthian border. About 250 kilometres separate it from the capital of Vienna and 100 km separate it from Salzburg. It is also near other bordering nations, including Switzerland, Germany, and Italy.
Neighboring Regions
All around Bad Gastein are other towns and places with comparable natural and cultural characteristics. To the north of it are two other Gastein Valley villages, Dorfgastein and Lend. Two towns in the Mölltal Valley of Carinthia, Mallnitz and Obervellach, form its east border. To the south it borders Heiligenblut and Großkirchheim, two communities that are a part of the High Tauern National Park. Its western limits are with Taxenbach and Rauris, which are a part of the Pinzgau district of Salzburg.
Access Points
Road, train and air are among the ways that one may get to Bad Gastein. The B167 route connects the town to the A10 motorway and passes through the Gastein Valley. Regional and international trains, including the EuroCity and the Tauern Express, service the town’s railway station as well. About 90 kilometers distant and providing both local and international flights is Salzburg Airport, the closest airport.
Physical Geography
Landforms in Bad Gastein
Mountains, valleys, waterfalls and caverns are just a few of the varied and spectacular landscapes that define Bad Gastein. Hohe Tauern peaks like the Ankogel (3,252 meters), Graukogel (2,492 meters), and Stubnerkogel (2,246 meters) encircle the town. A river that rises in the Hohe Tauern glaciers and runs through the Gastein Valley, the Gastein Ache, also crosses the town. The river creates a number of waterfalls, the largest in Europe at 341 meters, the Gastein Waterfall. The town is home to a number of caverns as well, including the 25-kilometer-long Radhausberg Cave, the longest cave in Salzburg, and the Entrische Kirche, a naturally occurring rock formation fashioned like a church.
Rivers and Lakes
Numerous lakes and rivers in Bad Gastein enhance its natural beauty and provide leisure options. The Gastein Ache is the town’s principal river; it supplies water to its hot springs, hydroelectric power stations, and fishing areas. Along with the reservoir that provides energy and drinking water, the town also has a number of lakes, including the little Böckstein See, which mirrors the nearby mountains.
Mountain Ranges Nearby
Situated in the center of Austria’s tallest and biggest mountain range, the Hohe Tauern, Bad Gastein is also among Europe’s biggest. The Grossglockner (3,798 meters), the highest mountain in Austria, and the Grossvenediger (3,674 meters), the fourth highest mountain in Austria, are only two of the almost 300 peaks that rise over 3,000 meters in the roughly 1,800 square kilometer Hohe Tauern. Among the glaciers of the Hohe Tauern are the Mölltaler Gletscher, the only glacier ski resort in Carinthia, and the Pasterze, the longest glacier in Austria.
Natural Attractions
Parks and Green Spaces
Both locals and tourists may unwind and enjoy the many parks and green areas in Bad Gastein. Situated in the town center, the Kurpark is a sizable park that includes a playground, a fountain, a pond and a pavilion. Several lesser parks in the town, named for well-known visitors, are the Mozart Park, Kaiser Wilhelm Park, and Elisabeth Park. Other gardens in the town include the Rosengarten, a rose garden with a variety of flowers, and the Alpengarten, a botanical park showcasing the mountain flora.
Nature Reserves
Within the Hohe Tauern National Park, one of the biggest in Europe and the biggest in Austria, is Bad Gastein. The park safeguards the Hohe Tauern mountain range’s natural and cultural legacy across an area of around 1,800 square kilometers. The park provides a range of flora, including chamois, ibex, marmots, eagles, and vultures, together with a variety of sceneries, including glaciers, woods, meadows, lakes, and falls. In addition, the park provides a number of sports, including snowshoeing, skiing, climbing, riding and hiking.
Scenic Points of Interest
The largest national park in Austria and one of the biggest in Europe, the Hohe Tauern National Park, includes Bad Gastein. Encompassing over 1,800 square kilometers, the park safeguards the Hohe Tauern mountain range’s natural and cultural legacy. The park provides a range of flora, including chamois, ibex, marmots, eagles, and vultures, together with a variety of sceneries, including glaciers, woods, meadows, lakes, and waterfalls. In addition, the park provides a number of sports, including snowshoeing, climbing, riding, skiing and hiking.
Human Geography
Population Distribution
Being one of the smaller towns in Salzburg, Bad Gastein is home to around 4,000 people. Comparing it to Salzburg’s average of almost 100 persons per square kilometer, the population density is substantially lower at around 23. Most of the services and amenities are found in the town center, and the most inhabited and developed districts are Badbruck and Böckstein. Additionally seasonal, the population rises in the winter and summer when a lot of visitors arrive to take advantage of the town’s offerings.
Urban Development
From the Middle Ages, when it was a mining town taking use of the gold and silver reserves in the mountains, Bad Gastein has had a long and rich history of urban growth. When the town flourished in the 19th and 20th centuries as a well-known spa and health resort, it attracted nobles, celebrities, and artists like Emperor Franz Joseph I, Empress Elisabeth, Otto von Bismarck, Sigmund Freud, and Thomas Mann. Gothic, Baroque, Art Nouveau, and Modernism are only a few of the styles whose architecture in the town reflects its historical and cultural roots. Among the town’s landmarks are the Felsenbad, the Kurhaus, the Casino, and the Grand Hotel de l’Europe.
Infrastructure and Transportation
The well-established transportation and infrastructure of Bad Gastein makes it easier for both locals and tourists to go around. Bus and train public transit links the town to other areas of Salzburg, the Gastein Valley, and beyond. In addition, the town boasts a number of cable cars and ski lifts that take visitors to the neighboring hiking and ski areas. In addition, the town features a system of trails and roads that enable people to go by foot, bike, or automobile. Public amenities and services in the town include schools, hospitals, stores, eateries, and lodging.
Administrative Divisions
The Katastralgemeinden, or administrative divisions, of Bad Gastein are various. Those are Kötschachdorf, Remsach, Böckstein, Bad Gastein, and Badbruck. Every division has distinct features and draws, such:
- Bad Gastein: The town centre, as well with the districts of Bad Gastein, Hirschenwiese, and Poseritz, make up this, the principal and biggest division. The train station, cable cars, casino, and Felsenbad are among the services and amenities that are mostly located here. Most historical and architectural sites, including the Pfarrkirche St. Nikolaus, the Gastein Waterfall, and the Grand Hotel de l’Europe, are also located here.
- Badbruck: Comprising the districts of Badbruck, Anlauftal, and Angertal, this division is the second biggest one. Here are most of the residential and business districts, including the retail center, the golf course, and the Gasteiner See. Additionally located here are other cultural and natural landmarks, including the Montanmuseum, the Alpengarten, and the Elisabethpark.
- Böckstein: Comprising the districts of Böckstein, Sportgastein and Nassfeld, this is the third-largest division. Here are most of the ski and hiking regions, including the Sportgastein, Graukogel, and Stubnerkogel. Additionally located here are other historical and natural landmarks, including the Entrische Kirche, the Böckstein See, and the Gasteiner Heilstollen.
- Remsach: Comprising the districts of Remsach, Heissingfelding and Unterberg, this is the fourth-largest division. Here are found some of the farms, pastures, and woods that are part of the rural and agricultural areas.
- Kötschachdorf: The district of Kötschachdorf is included in this smallest division, which also includes some of the natural and scenic areas of interest, including the Hängebrücke, the Kaiser Wilhelm Denkmal, and the Bellevue Alm. This is the site of the power plant, tennis court, and bowling alley, among other industrial and leisure facilities. Here are also located a few of the natural and cultural sites, including Schloss Gastein, the Evangelische Kirche, and the Radhausberg Cave.
