History Of Bad Hofgastein
In the Gastein valley in the Austrian state of Salzburg is the spa town of Bad Hofgastein. Its rich and extensive history begins in Roman times, when it was the epicenter of the area’s gold and silver mining. It also became a well-liked location for modern-day health and wellness tourists and was significant in the trade and commerce between Italy and northern Europe throughout the Middle Ages.
Roman and Medieval Times
Bad Hofgastein has a long history because it was the hub of gold and silver mining on the Radhausberg, in the Angertal, and in the Pochkar under Roman rule. The Romans took use of the abundant mineral riches in the region and created the infrastructure and mining methods. To link the valley to the rest of the empire, they constructed bridges and highways as well.
Being at the broadest point of the valley, Bad Hofgastein developed became the principal town of Gastein. Additionally situated here was the Gastein area seat and the first parish in the valley. Thus the town was called Hof in der Gasstein, which subsequently changed to Hofgastein.
Overlooking the two Gastein Tauern, Hofgastein served as the hub of commodities trade between Germany and Austria throughout the High Middle Ages. Tropical fruits, wine and other goods arrived to this mountain valley to be traded for gold and silver over the Roman-established route across the Korntauern. Once market rights were established in the thirteenth century, trade and commerce brought the town great prosperity.
Constructed as a modest church in 894, the parish church had a Gothic makeover in the fifteenth century. Remarkably magnificent and one of the oldest churches in the area, it has a 14th-century fresco of the Last Judgment.
Decline and Recovery
The town totally declined as a result of the fall in the price of gold, natural calamities, the plague breakout in 1574, and social and theological strife both during and after the Thirty Years’ War. There was a collapse of the mining sector, disruption of the trade routes, and population decline. For many generations the village was plagued by sickness, starvation, and poverty.
Hofgastein saw another heyday as a spa with the extinction of the Archdiocese of Salzburg and its transfer to Austria in 1807. Emperor Franz I gave the “perpetual” right to a fifth portion of the hot water from the Bad Gastein springs on August 23, 1828. After a flood destroyed the area in 1828, the Wildbad (now a “rock bath”) in Bad Gastein became congested and an expected expansion there never happened. The brewer Moser first carried the water to Bad Hofgastein in barrels, establishing a bathing area in his brewery. Long ago, mining official and technician Joseph Gainschnigg had drawn up plans for a thermal water pipeline. Building of such a railroad was proposed by Ladislaus Pyrker, Patriarch of Venice and Archbishop of Erlau. Commissioned in June 1825, the Gainschnigg project was not agreed upon by resolution by the emperor until August 23, 1828. To pay for the expenses, in 1828 a 34-person stock corporation was established. Pyrker became chairman after big contributions. Built between 1828 and 1830, the 7,250-meter pipeline was constructed from 2,235 spruce and larch trunks, each 3.24-meter-long, with an average length of 3.24-meters and a drilling diameter of 6 and then 5 inches (approximately 13 cm) at the inlet. The trunks were partially exposed and partially just marginally buried in the ground. Providing 500 logs, the government backed the endeavor. Around 200 cubic meters of water per day from Bad Gastein flowed down the 140 meter elevation difference at a gradient of around 3.3 per mille.
In 1843, clay pipes started to take the place of the wooden ones above ground. Three thousand clay tubes, each forty centimeter long, and 372 less wooden tubes made up the line that year. Despite persistently poor summer weather, the water only cooled down from the starting 38°R (47.5°C) to 28°R (35°C) after being on the move for 2¼ hours and tested with sandalwood chips. During the warmer months, the overly warm water was let to cool by 5–6°C by standing for 10–12 hours. The branch bathing institution brought Bad Hofgastein great commercial success. In 1847, Pyrker presented Emperor Franz I a monument on Kaiser-Franz-Platz, the main plaza. With time, clay pipes totally replaced the wooden ones; in 1879, the pipe was carrying twice as much water per day. Up to the 1953 construction of the current structure, the length was unchanged.
Bad Hofgastein benefitted much from the hot water from Bad Gastein, which drew a lot of tourists and patients looking for the water’s restorative and curative qualities. Building a number of hotels, villas, and other amenities to house the visitors, the town gained a reputation as a spa and health resort. The town gained from the building of the railroad line in 1905 as well as it increased accessibility and connected it to the rest of the nation.
Modern Times
At approximately 47 °C, the most productive spring in Bad Gastein discharges 1000 m³ of hot water into Hofgastein every day. The town continues to be regarded as a spa and wellness resort and provides a range of services and activities for its guests. Along with diversifying its tourism industry, the town now serves hikers, cyclists, and culture vultures. The Gastein Music Festival, the Gastein Art Festival, and the Snow Jazz Festival are only a few of the yearly events and festivals held in the town.
The site was permitted to have a spa added starting in 1828. Since 1906, the location has been known as Bad Hofgastein, the year it was first designated as a spa town. Covering an area of 103.3 km², the town is home to over 7,000 people. Adjacent to Bad Gastein, it is the second biggest town in the Gastein valley.
Long and intriguing in history, Bad Hofgastein has changed to meet the demands of its guests and the times. This town blends modernism with history, culture and environment, enjoyment and wellness.
