Bad Gastein
Encyclopedia
Bad Gastein is a spa town
in the Austria
n state of Salzburg
, situated at the northern rim of the Hohe Tauern
national park. It has 5,838 inhabitants. The name "Bad" means "spa", reflecting the town's history as a health resort. It is located at the head of the Gastein valley, about 1,000 metres (3,280 ft.) above sea level
. The townscape is characterised by historic multi-storey hotel buildings erected on the steep slopes.
, and was purchased by the Prince-Archbishops of Salzburg
in 1297. It was originally a gold mining
area and the site of an ancient trade route crossing the main ridge of the Central Eastern Alps
. About 1230 the minnesinger Neidhart von Reuental
referred to the hot springs
in his Middle High German
poem Die Graserin in der Gastein, they were visited by Emperor Frederick III
as well as by the Renaissance physician Paracelsus
.
In the 19th century the waters of Bad Gastein became a fashionable resort, visited by monarchs as well as the rich and famous. Some notable guests of the past included Empress Elisabeth of Austria (Sisi) and the German Emperor Wilhelm I with his chancellor Otto von Bismarck
as well as Tsar Ferdinand I of Bulgaria
, King Faisal I of Iraq
, King Ibn Saud of Saudi Arabia
and Iran's last king Mohammad Reza Pahlavi
, industrialists like Wilhelm von Opel
and artists like Heinrich Mann
, Robert Stolz
and W. Somerset Maugham
. In 1865 Bismarck had signed the Gastein Convention
with Austria concerning the administration of the provinces of Schleswig and Holstein
after the Second Schleswig War.
Mass tourism
was pushed by the opening of the Tauern Railway
station in 1905. From the 1960s on the resort lost some its former notoriety and many former hotels sit empty. During the past few years, Bad Gastein renovated its Felsentherme and the Congress Center.
earned the town its early fame. Theophrastus Parcelsus
(1493–1541) had studied the spring water
to discover its secrets. Marie Curie
(1867–1934) and Heinrich Mache (1876–1954) helped to discover that it contained radon
and as a result radon therapy began in the town.
Radon inhalation therapy at Gasteiner-Heilstollen began as a result of further investigation into the anecdotal experiences of silver miners who noticed improvements in symptoms from various ailments including arthritis. Ankylosing spondylitis
(also known as Bekhterev's
disease), in particular, has seen positive results from treatment at the Heilstollen. However, there is very little empirical evidence of any benefit to inhaling radon. For example, one of the few studies to test the efficacy of spa treatments for Ankylosing spondylitis found no statistically significant difference between a group that spent three weeks at Bad Gastein and a group that spent three weeks at a different spa
without radon inhalation therapy.
s. It hosted the 1958 World Championships
in alpine skiing
. Bad Gastein also regularly is a scene of the snowboarding
and boardercross worldcup. The town also hosts a women's tennis tournament annually, attracting top players like Julia Goerges.
Most of the Gastein Valley contains moderate to good skiing
/snowboarding
, with plenty of chairlifts and gondolas. Many establishments on the slopes offer warmth, food and strong drinks.
, now adopted as one of the Companions of Saint Nicholas
. The Krampus is an elemental, horned and demonic character, playfully re-enacted by bands of male revellers during December and also once every four years during a Perchten event or Perchtenlauf. The Perchtenlauf happens every four years at Bad Gastein. The most recent was in January 2006.
It is a stop along the Tauernbahn major railway line from Schwarzach
-Sankt Veit
in the north through the Tauerntunnel to Spittal an der Drau
in the south, connecting Bad Gastein with many Austrian cities like Vienna
, Linz
, Salzburg
and Graz
along a single circuit. It is therefore easily accessible by the frequent EuroCity
and InterCity
trains going along this route.
The B167 Gasteiner Straße federal highway also passes right through the Gastein valley. Through traffic is simple from the northern entrance at Lend
in the Salzach
valley passing the municipalities of Dorfgastein
and Bad Hofgastein
. However, the continuation southwards to Mallnitz
in Carinthia
requires cars to roll onto a train for a short trip through the Tauerntunnel by motorail.
Spa town
A spa town is a town situated around a mineral spa . Patrons resorted to spas to "take the waters" for their purported health benefits. The word comes from the Belgian town Spa. In continental Europe a spa was known as a ville d'eau...
in the Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
n state of Salzburg
Salzburg (state)
Salzburg is a state or Land of Austria with an area of 7,156 km2, located adjacent to the German border. It is also known as Salzburgerland, to distinguish it from its capital city, also named Salzburg...
, situated at the northern rim of the Hohe Tauern
Hohe Tauern
The Hohe Tauern or High Tauern are a mountain range on the main chain of the Central Eastern Alps, comprising the highest peaks east of the Brenner Pass. The crest forms the southern border of the Austrian state of Salzburg with Carinthia and East Tyrol, while a small part in the southwest belongs...
national park. It has 5,838 inhabitants. The name "Bad" means "spa", reflecting the town's history as a health resort. It is located at the head of the Gastein valley, about 1,000 metres (3,280 ft.) above sea level
Sea level
Mean sea level is a measure of the average height of the ocean's surface ; used as a standard in reckoning land elevation...
. The townscape is characterised by historic multi-storey hotel buildings erected on the steep slopes.
History
The Gastein valley was first mentioned as Gastuna in a 963 deed, then part of the Duchy of BavariaDuchy of Bavaria
The Duchy of Bavaria was the only one of the stem duchies from the earliest days of East Francia and the Kingdom of Germany to preserve both its name and most of its territorial extent....
, and was purchased by the Prince-Archbishops of Salzburg
Archbishopric of Salzburg
The Archbishopric of Salzburg was an ecclesiastical State of the Holy Roman Empire, its territory roughly congruent with the present-day Austrian state of Salzburg....
in 1297. It was originally a gold mining
Gold mining
Gold mining is the removal of gold from the ground. There are several techniques and processes by which gold may be extracted from the earth.-History:...
area and the site of an ancient trade route crossing the main ridge of the Central Eastern Alps
Central Eastern Alps
The Central Eastern Alps comprise the main chain of the Eastern Alps with its highest peaks, located between the Northern Limestone Alps and the Southern Limestone Alps, from which they differ in geological composition....
. About 1230 the minnesinger Neidhart von Reuental
Neidhart von Reuental
Neidhart von Reuental was one of the most famous German minnesingers. He was probably active in Bavaria and then is known to have been a singer at the court of Friedrich II in Vienna...
referred to the hot springs
Hot Springs
Hot Springs may refer to:* Hot Springs, Arkansas** Hot Springs National Park, Arkansas*Hot Springs, California**Hot Springs, Lassen County, California**Hot Springs, Modoc County, California**Hot Springs, Placer County, California...
in his Middle High German
Middle High German
Middle High German , abbreviated MHG , is the term used for the period in the history of the German language between 1050 and 1350. It is preceded by Old High German and followed by Early New High German...
poem Die Graserin in der Gastein, they were visited by Emperor Frederick III
Frederick III, Holy Roman Emperor
Frederick the Peaceful KG was Duke of Austria as Frederick V from 1424, the successor of Albert II as German King as Frederick IV from 1440, and Holy Roman Emperor as Frederick III from 1452...
as well as by the Renaissance physician Paracelsus
Paracelsus
Paracelsus was a German-Swiss Renaissance physician, botanist, alchemist, astrologer, and general occultist....
.
In the 19th century the waters of Bad Gastein became a fashionable resort, visited by monarchs as well as the rich and famous. Some notable guests of the past included Empress Elisabeth of Austria (Sisi) and the German Emperor Wilhelm I with his chancellor Otto von Bismarck
Otto von Bismarck
Otto Eduard Leopold, Prince of Bismarck, Duke of Lauenburg , simply known as Otto von Bismarck, was a Prussian-German statesman whose actions unified Germany, made it a major player in world affairs, and created a balance of power that kept Europe at peace after 1871.As Minister President of...
as well as Tsar Ferdinand I of Bulgaria
Ferdinand I of Bulgaria
Ferdinand , born Ferdinand Maximilian Karl Leopold Maria of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha-Koháry, was the ruler of Bulgaria from 1887 to 1918, first as knyaz and later as tsar...
, King Faisal I of Iraq
Faisal I of Iraq
Faisal bin Hussein bin Ali al-Hashemi, was for a short time King of the Arab Kingdom of Syria or Greater Syria in 1920, and was King of the Kingdom of Iraq from 23 August 1921 to 1933...
, King Ibn Saud of Saudi Arabia
Ibn Saud of Saudi Arabia
King Abdul-Aziz of Saudi Arabia was the first monarch of the Third Saudi State known as Saudi Arabia. He was commonly referred to as Ibn Saud....
and Iran's last king Mohammad Reza Pahlavi
Mohammad Reza Pahlavi
Mohammad Rezā Shāh Pahlavi, Shah of Iran, Shah of Persia , ruled Iran from 16 September 1941 until his overthrow by the Iranian Revolution on 11 February 1979...
, industrialists like Wilhelm von Opel
Wilhelm von Opel
Wilhelm von Opel was one of the founding figures of the German automobile manufacturer Opel. He introduced the assembly line to the German automobily industry....
and artists like Heinrich Mann
Heinrich Mann
Luiz Heinrich Mann was a German novelist who wrote works with strong social themes. His attacks on the authoritarian and increasingly militaristic nature of pre-World War II German society led to his exile in 1933.-Life and work:Born in Lübeck as the oldest child of Thomas Johann Heinrich Mann...
, Robert Stolz
Robert Stolz
Robert Elisabeth Stolz was an Austrian songwriter and conductor as well as a composer of operettas and film music.- Biography :...
and W. Somerset Maugham
W. Somerset Maugham
William Somerset Maugham , CH was an English playwright, novelist and short story writer. He was among the most popular writers of his era and, reputedly, the highest paid author during the 1930s.-Childhood and education:...
. In 1865 Bismarck had signed the Gastein Convention
Gastein Convention
In diplomacy, the Gastein Convention, also called the Convention of Badgastein, a treaty signed at Bad Gastein in Austria on August 20, 1865, embodied agreements between the two principal powers of the German Confederation, Prussia and Austria, over the governing of the provinces of Schleswig and...
with Austria concerning the administration of the provinces of Schleswig and Holstein
Holstein
Holstein is the region between the rivers Elbe and Eider. It is part of Schleswig-Holstein, the northernmost state of Germany....
after the Second Schleswig War.
Mass tourism
Tourism
Tourism is travel for recreational, leisure or business purposes. The World Tourism Organization defines tourists as people "traveling to and staying in places outside their usual environment for not more than one consecutive year for leisure, business and other purposes".Tourism has become a...
was pushed by the opening of the Tauern Railway
Tauern Railway
The Tauern Railway is an Austrian railway line between Schwarzach-Sankt Veit in the state of Salzburg and Spittal an der Drau in Carinthia. It is part of one of the most important north-south trunk routes in Europe and also carries tourist traffic for the Gastein Valley...
station in 1905. From the 1960s on the resort lost some its former notoriety and many former hotels sit empty. During the past few years, Bad Gastein renovated its Felsentherme and the Congress Center.
Spa and Therapy
The local Heilstollen (literally 'healing tunnel') thermal spring waterHot spring
A hot spring is a spring that is produced by the emergence of geothermally heated groundwater from the Earth's crust. There are geothermal hot springs in many locations all over the crust of the earth.-Definitions:...
earned the town its early fame. Theophrastus Parcelsus
Paracelsus
Paracelsus was a German-Swiss Renaissance physician, botanist, alchemist, astrologer, and general occultist....
(1493–1541) had studied the spring water
Spring (hydrosphere)
A spring—also known as a rising or resurgence—is a component of the hydrosphere. Specifically, it is any natural situation where water flows to the surface of the earth from underground...
to discover its secrets. Marie Curie
Marie Curie
Marie Skłodowska-Curie was a physicist and chemist famous for her pioneering research on radioactivity. She was the first person honored with two Nobel Prizes—in physics and chemistry...
(1867–1934) and Heinrich Mache (1876–1954) helped to discover that it contained radon
Radon
Radon is a chemical element with symbol Rn and atomic number 86. It is a radioactive, colorless, odorless, tasteless noble gas, occurring naturally as the decay product of uranium or thorium. Its most stable isotope, 222Rn, has a half-life of 3.8 days...
and as a result radon therapy began in the town.
Radon inhalation therapy at Gasteiner-Heilstollen began as a result of further investigation into the anecdotal experiences of silver miners who noticed improvements in symptoms from various ailments including arthritis. Ankylosing spondylitis
Ankylosing spondylitis
Ankylosing spondylitis , previously known as Bekhterev's disease, Bekhterev syndrome, and Marie-Strümpell disease is a chronic inflammatory disease of the axial skeleton with variable involvement of peripheral joints and nonarticular structures...
(also known as Bekhterev's
Vladimir Bekhterev
Vladimir Mikhailovich Bekhterev was a Russian Neurologist and the Father of Objective Psychology. He is best known for noting the role of the hippocampus in memory, his study of reflexes, and Bekhterev’s Disease...
disease), in particular, has seen positive results from treatment at the Heilstollen. However, there is very little empirical evidence of any benefit to inhaling radon. For example, one of the few studies to test the efficacy of spa treatments for Ankylosing spondylitis found no statistically significant difference between a group that spent three weeks at Bad Gastein and a group that spent three weeks at a different spa
Spa
The term spa is associated with water treatment which is also known as balneotherapy. Spa towns or spa resorts typically offer various health treatments. The belief in the curative powers of mineral waters goes back to prehistoric times. Such practices have been popular worldwide, but are...
without radon inhalation therapy.
Places of interest
- Nikolauskirche (1380)
- Gletschermühlen
- Felsentherme
- Gasteiner Heilstollen
- Gasteiner Heimatmuseum im Haus Austria
- Silverbullet (Bar)
- Eden's Pub - the only real english pub in the valley
Activities
Beside its water treatments, the town is popular for winter sportWinter sport
A winter sport is a sport which is played on snow or ice. Most such sports are variations of skiing, ice skating and sledding. Traditionally such sports were only played in cold areas during winter, but artificial snow and ice allow more flexibility...
s. It hosted the 1958 World Championships
FIS Alpine World Ski Championships 1958
The FIS Alpine World Ski Championships 1958 were held in Bad Gastein, Austria, between February 2–9, 1958.*Toni Sailer, 22, of Austria, won three gold medals and a silver.*Lucille Wheeler, 23, of Canada, won two gold medals and a silver.-External links:...
in alpine skiing
Alpine skiing
Alpine skiing is the sport of sliding down snow-covered hills on skis with fixed-heel bindings. Alpine skiing can be contrasted with skiing using free-heel bindings: Ski mountaineering and nordic skiing – such as cross-country; ski jumping; and Telemark. In competitive alpine skiing races four...
. Bad Gastein also regularly is a scene of the snowboarding
Snowboarding
Snowboarding is a sport that involves descending a slope that is covered with snow on a snowboard attached to a rider's feet using a special boot set onto mounted binding. The development of snowboarding was inspired by skateboarding, sledding, surfing and skiing. It was developed in the U.S.A...
and boardercross worldcup. The town also hosts a women's tennis tournament annually, attracting top players like Julia Goerges.
Most of the Gastein Valley contains moderate to good skiing
Skiing
Skiing is a recreational activity using skis as equipment for traveling over snow. Skis are used in conjunction with boots that connect to the ski with use of a binding....
/snowboarding
Snowboarding
Snowboarding is a sport that involves descending a slope that is covered with snow on a snowboard attached to a rider's feet using a special boot set onto mounted binding. The development of snowboarding was inspired by skateboarding, sledding, surfing and skiing. It was developed in the U.S.A...
, with plenty of chairlifts and gondolas. Many establishments on the slopes offer warmth, food and strong drinks.
Traditions
Bad Gastein has vibrant pagan traditions that have been slightly assimilated into Roman Catholic tradition. One example of the pre-Christian Alpine traditions is the KrampusKrampus
Krampus is a mythical creature recognized in Alpine countries. According to legend, Krampus accompanies St. Nicholas during the Christmas season, warning and punishing bad children, in contrast to St. Nicholas, who gives gifts to good children....
, now adopted as one of the Companions of Saint Nicholas
Companions of Saint Nicholas
The companions of Saint Nicholas are a group of closely related figures who accompany St. Nicholas in many European traditions.Some companions include:...
. The Krampus is an elemental, horned and demonic character, playfully re-enacted by bands of male revellers during December and also once every four years during a Perchten event or Perchtenlauf. The Perchtenlauf happens every four years at Bad Gastein. The most recent was in January 2006.
Transportation
The Gastein valley has connections to other parts of Austria via rail, road and identifiable cycle routes.It is a stop along the Tauernbahn major railway line from Schwarzach
Schwarzach im Pongau
Schwarzach im Pongau is a market town in the St. Johann im Pongau district in the state of Salzburg in Austria.-Notable people:* Helmut Zobl ,* Kurt Leitner , retired footballer* Eva Linsinger , journalist...
-Sankt Veit
Sankt Veit im Pongau
Sankt Veit im Pongau is a market town in the St. Johann im Pongau district in the state of Salzburg in Austria. St.Veit is the first healthy climate spa town in Salzburg. Submontane to the "Hochglocker" there is the 1912 founded sanatorium. Author Thomas Bernhard was treated in there and he also...
in the north through the Tauerntunnel to Spittal an der Drau
Spittal an der Drau
Spittal an der Drau is located in the western part of the Austrian federal state of Carinthia and the administrative centre of the federal state's second largest district, Spittal an der Drau. It lies between the Lurnfeld area and the Lower Drava Valley. The city consists of the seven...
in the south, connecting Bad Gastein with many Austrian cities like Vienna
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
, Linz
Linz
Linz is the third-largest city of Austria and capital of the state of Upper Austria . It is located in the north centre of Austria, approximately south of the Czech border, on both sides of the river Danube. The population of the city is , and that of the Greater Linz conurbation is about...
, Salzburg
Salzburg
-Population development:In 1935, the population significantly increased when Salzburg absorbed adjacent municipalities. After World War II, numerous refugees found a new home in the city. New residential space was created for American soldiers of the postwar Occupation, and could be used for...
and Graz
Graz
The more recent population figures do not give the whole picture as only people with principal residence status are counted and people with secondary residence status are not. Most of the people with secondary residence status in Graz are students...
along a single circuit. It is therefore easily accessible by the frequent EuroCity
EuroCity
EuroCity, abbreviated EC, denotes an international train service within the European inter-city rail network. In contrast to trains with the "IC" label, "EC" trains are international trains that meet certain criteria. The EuroCity label replaces the older Trans Europ Express name for...
and InterCity
InterCity
InterCity is the classification applied to certain long-distance passenger train services in Europe...
trains going along this route.
The B167 Gasteiner Straße federal highway also passes right through the Gastein valley. Through traffic is simple from the northern entrance at Lend
Lend, Austria
Lend is a municipality in the district of Zell am See , in the state of Salzburg in Austria. The population is 1604....
in the Salzach
Salzach
The Salzach is a river in Austria and Germany. It is a right tributary of the Inn and is 225 kilometres in length.The river's name is derived from the German word Salz, meaning "salt". Until the 19th century shipping of salt down the river was an important part of the local economy...
valley passing the municipalities of Dorfgastein
Dorfgastein
Dorfgastein is a municipality in the St. Johann im Pongau district in the state of Salzburg in western central Austria.- History :The following is a timeline:* 1212: First mention of the use of the Gastein gorge as riding and mule area....
and Bad Hofgastein
Bad Hofgastein
Bad Hofgastein is an exclusive ski and wellness resort in the district of St. Johann im Pongau in the state of Salzburg in Austria. It is part of the "Gasteiner Tal" valley, near the village of Bad Gastein...
. However, the continuation southwards to Mallnitz
Mallnitz
Mallnitz is a town in the district of Spittal an der Drau in Carinthia in Austria....
in Carinthia
Carinthia (state)
Carinthia is the southernmost Austrian state or Land. Situated within the Eastern Alps it is chiefly noted for its mountains and lakes.The main language is German. Its regional dialects belong to the Southern Austro-Bavarian group...
requires cars to roll onto a train for a short trip through the Tauerntunnel by motorail.
External links
- http://www.gastein.com – official homepage
- www.slopeseeker.com – An independent guide to skiing in Bad Gastein
- http://www.gasteinertal.com
- Many pictures of Bad Gastein
- http://www.gasteiner-heilstollen.com
- http://www.gastein360.com – Gastein 360 panoramas, See Gastein and come to feel Gastein