History Of Dorfgastein

Historical references to the bridle trail via the Gastein canyon and up to the Tauern passes date back to a deed from 1212. Originally a part of the Salzburg Archbishopric, the settlement of Dorfgastein is mentioned in the earliest mining rules for Gastein, dating back to 1342. The settlement is even more historically significant because of the construction of the St. Rupert parish church in 1350.

Built in the twelfth century, Klammstein Castle was a vital administrative center along the ancient trade route for the archbishops’ custodian of the Gastein valley. The Salzburg archbishop Philip of Spanheim acquired the castle in 1251 after it had first been ruled by the Bavarian counts of Ortenburg. Acting on behalf of the archbishop, Ministeriales set tolls and fenced off the valley entrance. Approved by the Bavarian dukes Otto III and Stephen I, the neighboring domains were legally included into the Archbishopric of Salzburg in 1297. The administrative headquarters was thereafter relocated to the neighboring Hofgastein when Archbishop Leonhard von Keutschach gave his family the castle. The outside walls were allowed to be destroyed in 1589 by Archbishop Wolf Dietrich Raitenau.

Important infrastructure and educational turning points are part of Dorfgastein’s past growth. The first school in the community opened its doors in 1735, and in 1921 electric lighting was installed in the classrooms. Communication advanced when a telegraph office was built in 1893. The dedication to education is still evident in the 1927 opening of a new school facility.

Dorfgastein has evolved as a winter sports resort as well. Winter sports have been associated with Dorfgastein since the first ski lift was erected in 1959. The village’s significance in the larger scheme of regional recreational opportunities is shown by the fact that the nearby Großarltal-Dorfgastein ski area is now a vital component of the vast Ski Amadé region.