Prähistorisches Museum
In the area of Hallstatt there were excavated 2 000 bodies (some of which cremated) of ancient prehistoric people. That is why some call the place a “cradle of civilization”. The burials are from ancient times till the late Iron Age (350 B.C.). There are also many artifacts, dating back to Neolithic times. Some of these make it clear that there was a ruling class. These interesting artifacts can be seen in the Prähistorisches Museum (Seestrasse 56) which is open throughout the whole year.
Marktplatz
This place (in English Market Square) is the centre of the village of Hallstatt. It reveals great views of the Dachstein mountain massif. The Square is a perfect ending of the narrow and steep streets of the village and contains many 16th-century buildings.
Pfarrkirche
On one of the banks of the Hallstättersee Lake, there is a churchyard which contains a large Parish Church. The shrine dates back to the late 15th century. One can also visit a Gothic Church next to it - the Chapel of St. Michael. Due to the small size of the cemetery, the Karner (charnel/bone house) had to be used for burials since the 17th century.
The Salt Mines in Salzberg
Near Hallstatt, there is one characteristic geological formation – Salzwelten. This is a slat mine which has been active for centuries till now. Miners have dug out of it great amounts of salt. The mine is open for guided tours which reveal how much work is put in the place. Also there, archeologists have found many artifacts and rare objects.
From Hallstatt, the salt mines can be reached by taking a cable car (5 minuted away from the rail-way station). The mines are open from the end of October to the middle of April and the tour in them lasts around 50min, but the full walk around them – about 2 hours and a half.
For the ones who love hiking there are many trails from the mines. You can visit the Iron Age cemetery – an hour and a half walk. There are also other trails with huts along the way. One of them goes along the Echerntal to Waldbachstrub, where you can admire many gorgeous waterfalls. One can reach the Tiergartenhütte and the Wiesberghaus (1 885m above the sea level). The experienced hikers can go further to the Simony-Hüttee (2 205m) which is at the foot of the Hallstatt Glacier. And the climbers can go from there to the Hoher Dachstein – 3 hours and a half trip, reaching 2 995m elevation.
Dachstein Caves
These ice caves are one of the most magnificent sights in Upper Austria. They can be reached by driving to Obertraun (6km away from Hallstatt) and then take a cable car to a platform on the Schönbergalm, from where the caves are only a 20min walk away. There is a guided tour available. One of the most attractive caves is the Rieseneishöhle (Giant Ice Cave) where the tepperature in the summer is -1°C. The most interesting part of the caves is the frozen waterfalls. Also one can admire the King Arthur's Cave and the Great Ice Chapel. The caves are open for visitors from May till October.
You can take a look at the Mammoth Cave – an underground passageway, cut in the rocks by a torrent.
The length of the guided tours is only a small part of the caves themselves – 37km in total.
Another place you can visit is the Hoher Krippenstein. It is reachable by car and offers some breathtaking views of the Dachstein massif. There is also a chapel there, built in the 1950s in honour of the accidental death of 13 teachers and students.
Other Natural Attractions
If you want to admire nature, there are many other places you can visit. One of them is a local, easy-to-reach cave – the Koppenbrüllerhöhle (Koppenbrüller Cave). In it there is still an active stream, which still causes erosion. The cave can be reached by car, taxi or even train (the train ride ends at the local station Koppenbrüllerhöhle, where there is a hotel and the cave is 15min away on foot).
Another sightseeing option is the view is revealed from the south wall of the Dachstein. In order to reach it you should drive along Route 166 and pass through Ramsau and Schladming. By doing so you will reach the Gletscherbahn cable car which will take you to an alpine plateau – Hunerkogel (2 696m elevation). From there is revealed a magnificent view of the Grossglockner Pass, the Salzkammergut Alps and the Schladminger Gletscher.
Also you may want to visit the General Info or Transportation info.
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