You only see what you know (Goethe)
This monument commemorates Franz Wirer von Rettenbach. He is considered the founder of the first Austrian saline water health spa in Bad Ischl. I found this bust in the local spa park (Kurpark). I was pretty impressed by the extraordinary size of the sculpture. [German]
This replica of a wooden staircase in front of the Museum Hallstatt reminds of the fact that such a staircase dating back to the Bronze Age was found in the nearby salt mines.
I saw this – probably unofficial – traffic sign in Hallstatt next to the famous Hallstatt Lake. It makes people aware of stewards crossing the street. It happens to be that the restaurant and the open-air seating area are on different sides of the lane.
Sundial seen at the walls of Museum Hallstatt located in Hallstatt, a world heritage site in Austria. The museum presents the 2nd largest collection of pieces related to the Iron Age Hallstatt culture in Austria.
Scalaria is a hotel as well as an event location located next to lake Wolfgangsee in Austria. Ready for hosting and entertaining Iarge companies with their staff or clients. For tourists it is open during several summer weeks and Advent season. I was invited by the resort to stay there for a night and to learn about the best moments the place has to offer.
This ‘old’ steam locomotive Z11 was actually built in 1992 as part of the class 999.2. It is operated by the Schafberg Railway (Schafbergbahn) which is leading from Sankt Wolfgang im Salzkammergut up to the Schafberg. This metre gauge cog railway is pretty steep, at a total lenght of 5.85 km it gains about 1,200 m height difference.
High over Sankt Wolfgang im Salzkammergut a hiking trail named The Painter’s Steep (Malersteig) leading up to the Kalvarienberg Hill offers a fine view of Sankt Wolfgang and lake Wolfgangsee. The name origins from the fact that many famous landscapists used to paint their works standing on those meadows.
A shop sign I haven’t seen for ages: In former times a shop for colonial goods (Kolonialwaren) sold goods generally delivered from far away. E.g. coffee, tobacco, cacao, spices, tea and so on. Today there is no need for such specialized shops so I was glad to see such an old inscripiton while walking through Sankt Wolfgang im Salzkammergut.
An interesting detail of the Christmas market in Sankt Wolfgang (Wolfgangseer Advent) is a Christmas crib created by the wood carver Matthäus Mayrhauser. The crib consists of about 40 life-size sculptures scattered over a larger area. Everybody is invited to walk betCeen the figures so in the evening it is difficult to decide who is a real person and what is a wooden figure.
While staying at the event location Scalaria in December 2005, I saw many photos and posters of this great water plane: the Dornier DO24 TT. It reminded me that the Scalaria Air Challenge takes place in the sky above lake Wolfgangsee every year.
The Christmas market of Sankt Wolfgang im Salzkammergut is part of three markets (Wolfgangseer Advent) which are located around lake Wolfgangsee. So people can move from market to market by crossing the lake by boat.
The emblem of Sankt Wolfgang im Salzkammergut, seen at an old building in the centre of the place. It was awarded by Holy Roman Emperor Maximillian II in 1567. The emblem shows a flat-bottomed boat named Zille, which was not only a traditional boat type of this region but also an important means of transport for people and goods.