Attractions & Landmarks In Grossarl
Situated in the Austrian Alps, Grossarl is a little town well-known for its stunning landscape and winter activities. Hikers, cyclists and nature lovers looking to explore the nearby sites and landmarks flock to this charming location.
Skigebiet Großarltal-Dorfgastein is a large ski resort in Grossarl that has an amazing 760 km of slopes and 270 ski lifts. One ski pass allows guests to enjoy a range of winter sports like tobogganing, cross-country skiing, snowboarding, and skiing. Live music, ski shows, and night skiing are just a few of the many events and activities the resort offers all season long.
The local tourist information center is called Tourismusverband Grossarltal and is available to anybody looking for information and help organizing their vacation. Here, guests may schedule guided tours, excursions, and activities including themed hikes, bike trips, and cultural visits in addition to receiving insightful guidance. Among the festivals and activities the center hosts are the Alpine Summer, the Harvest Festival, and the Grossarl Mountain Advent.
Situated in the charming Grossarl Valley, the Rad – und Gehweg Grossarltal links the towns of Hüttschlag and Grossarl. Families and novices can enjoy this 17 kilometer mainly level route. Along the route, tourists may take in the breathtaking vistas of forests, meadows, and mountains and stop at a number of sites including playgrounds, museums, and churches.
The parish church of Grossarl, the Pfarrkirche Großarl, is an outstanding specimen of Baroque architecture. This 18th-century church has a priceless organ, an exquisitely painted interior, and a remarkable onion dome. It also marks the beginning of the chapel hiking path, a pilgrimage route that visits thirteen chapels dispersed throughout the valley.
Among the longest and deepest canyons in the Alps, the Liechtensteinklamm will enthrall nature lovers. Explored by a wooden boardwalk that runs through its steep and narrow walls, this magnificent canyon was carved by the Grossarler Ache river. Glancing waterfalls, tumbling rapids, and unusual rock formations awe visitors. Additionally available to adventure enthusiasts are rafting, climbing, and canyoning.
Visit Fulseck for sweeping vistas of the nearby hills and valleys. The Hochkönig, Dachstein, and Großglockner are among the magnificent views of famous sites from this mountain top. Either a cable car or a trekking trip will get visitors to the peak. When reaching the top, they may unwind in the rest area or take in the view from the observation deck. Along with other hiking and bicycling routes, Fulseck is the beginning point of the Salzburger Almenweg and the Gastein Trail.
Visiting Loosbühelalm is strongly advised if you want to sample some excellent regional cuisine. Situated at a height of 1,769 meters, this classic mountain lodge serves delectable delicacies such strudel, bacon, cheese and bread. Hiking or cycling from Grossarl or Hüttschlag will get you to the chalet. Together with a playground and a petting zoo for kids, Loosbühelalm offers overnight lodging in comfortable rooms or dorms.
Kreuzkogel is another mountain top that is well worth seeing; it provides breathtaking views of the Grossarl Valley and beyond.
Kösslerhäusl Heritage Museum
A unique museum in SalzburgerLand, Kösslerhäusl is distinguished by its special emphasis on maintaining a 16th-century miner’s house that belonged to the Kössler mining family. Keeping the original layout and position of this amazing wooden building, the Kösslerhäusl is an exhibit in and of itself, unlike traditional museums.
Historical documents date the Kösslers, a mining family, to the 16th century, however it is difficult to determine the precise age of the Kösslerhäusl. Ingeniously combining living quarters, storage facilities, and a barn under one roof, the home captures the architectural and practical features of that time.
This museum is renowned for its Rauchkuchl, which has a wooden smoke vent and an antique, well-preserved cobalt stove. An exhibition on the top level with a variety of old farming implements and tools provides insights into past agricultural methods. A hoist, hay and grain harvesting equipment, an antique windmill, a threshing machine, and carpenter’s screws are a few features.
The larger cellar is now an exhibition area with a varied collection of about 2,000 knives. A look at the skill and practicality of knives throughout history is offered by this vast collection. Furthermore, the display area has a variety of objects that add to a thorough depiction of 16th-century life, including antique papers, traditional costumes, and musical instruments.
Kösslerhäusl Heritage Museum
Situated in the Großarl Valley in the Salzburg area in Austria, the Talmuseum Hüttschlag is a centre of culture and education providing insights into the rich history, environment, and customs of the alpine region. Particularly concentrating on the function of woods and alpine pastures in the National Park Hohe Tauern, the museum has an interactive display called “On the Alm – Between Heaven and Earth.” This exhibition provides access for guests to explore the special environment that lies between the earth and the sky.
The show, which covers a wide variety of subjects, looks at insects, nature movies, scythe mowing, antique crafts, and nearly lost cultures. By including interactive components, the museum hopes to provide guests a dynamic and interesting experience that will let them take an active role in the investigation of the alpine way of life.
Apart from its captivating display, Talmuseum Hüttschlag organizes a range of year-round musical and educational activities. This range of services guarantees that the museum stays a dynamic and changing organization that appeals to a wide range of interests.
Seasonal in operation, the museum is open everyday from 10:00 to 17:00 and welcomes guests from May 8 to October 31. There is an entry charge; it is €7 for adults, €4 for children (6 to 14 years old), and €5 for discounted tickets that are available to elderly, students, and the disabled. Especially, families gain from a special price plan that charges for the first kid and offers free access to each successive child. This approach that is pleasant to families invites a wider range of people to investigate and discover the alpine way of life and environment.
Liechtensteinklamm
One of the deepest and longest gorges in the Alps, Liechtensteinklamm is located in St. Johann im Pongau at the entrance to Grossarltal. Experienced fully, guests may take in the powerful waterfall, lush moss-covered rocks, and enthralling rainbows created by fine mist.
Safe wooden boardwalks in the gorge allow visitors to meander slowly through its stunning surrounds. This beautiful stroll should take about forty-five minutes each way. Liechtensteinklamm is best visited on less ideal weather days because the canyon might get tourists wet. It offers a cool respite on hot summer days.
One of the longest gorges in the Alps, Liechtensteinklamm is 4,000 meters long overall. About 1,000 meters of the gorge are open to visitors, and it features granite cliffs that drop up to 300 meters. The spectacular scenery is enhanced by the narrowing of certain canyon portions to a few meters in breadth. A stunning waterfall that thunderously slams into the valley below marks the end of the gorge trek.
The Bible path in Hüttschlag
At the Grossarltal end, a unique Bible trail has been created that provides a visually appealing trekking experience. This walkway leads tourists past charming cottages depicting scenes from the Old and New Testaments.
One prominent site along the route is the magnificent 18th-century Via Crucis artwork by Josef von Führich. At Calvary, where the Via Crucis ends and life-size figures are clearly exhibited, the trek gains a profoundly religious component.
Along the trail are huts that act as exhibits for biblical stories, including those of Adam and Eve in paradise, Abraham and Isaac, Joseph, Moses, and David. Every station adds to an extensive graphic tale of significant events in biblical history.
Easily reached after walking the Chapel route, the Bible route is located above the Hüttschlager Bauernladenstüberl. Interestingly, people can stroll the Bible trail at no cost and there is no time limit. Donations are accepted, nevertheless, in order to help with the path’s upkeep and extension. Especially, the Christmas crib offers a special seasonal interest by being open throughout the winter.
The Bible path’s atmosphere is improved in the nights when solar lights are used to provide a quaintly romantic environment. The walkway is made even more appealing overall by this extra element, which lets people see it from a fresh perspective both physically and metaphorically.
Scout Salute
The “Scout Salute” stands not only as a symbol of scouting but also as a noteworthy work of art, officially unveiled during the inauguration of the 30th Scouting Forum on January 17, 1998. Originally situated at this significant event, the statue underwent relocation to the bandstand after a few years.
Designed by Kaj Rugholm from Denmark and meticulously crafted by Josef Doppler from Salzburg, the “Scout Salute” is a steel sculpture boasting a height of 2.4 meters. Its unique design holds both symbolic and historical significance, particularly for the participants of the 30th Scouting Forum in Grossarl.
The sculpture’s distinctive features carry meaning, with each raised finger symbolizing a decade of the European Forums hosted in Grossarl. The palm, little finger, and thumb converge to create a circle, emphasizing the global relevance of the scouting movement and the Scouting Guild. Grossarl, chosen as the meeting hub for these forums on 30 separate occasions, holds a special place in the history of scouting, making the “Scout Salute” a tangible representation of this enduring connection.
Alte Wacht in Grossarl
Situated near the Grossarltal entry, the Alte Wacht is one of the last toll booths in the province of Salzburg. Built originally in 1566 in reaction to the Grossarl road’s construction, the Alte Wacht was essential in keeping an eye on the flow of commodities through the valley. The Alte Wacht is a historical monument even though it stopped operating as a toll and inspection station in the 1990s with the construction of the Stegbach bridge.
Originating in 1330, the word “Steg” was first used to describe a narrow wooden walkway called “Stegenwacht” or “Wachtstege.” Along cliffs and into Grossarltal, this route led travellers beyond the modern Alte Wacht. In 1566, copper mine operations in Hüttschlag—a vital economic source for the Salzburg archbishopric at the time—made a suitable road necessary.
With time, the Alte Wacht assumed more responsibilities from its original purpose of observing commerce and preventing smuggling. Soldiers were posted in the structure starting in 1655 to stop the illness from spreading, and by 1682 a permanent security force was stationed there. The Alte Wacht took up a military role during the Protestant expulsions of 1731–1733 in reaction to possible uprisings by the Protestant population in the area.
Changing with the times, the Alte Wacht became an inn serving tourists traveling between St. Johann im Pongau and Grossarltal. Purchased in 1912 by the Duchy of Salzburg, it housed the Grossarl road maintenance supervisor until 1946.
Early in the 1990s, the Alte Wacht was under danger of destruction because of growing traffic and a shortage of parking spaces. After the Salzburg province gave this ancient structure with a long and varied history to the Hüttschlag National Park Association in 2001, it was preserved as a reminder of the region’s past.
