This sight in the middle of the picturesque Brunntal alp in the Weissenbach valley of Bad Goisern is of historical importance and uniqueness. Combined with a bike tour or hike, the wood drift system is the highlight for a relaxing day in nature in the holiday region Dachstein Salzkammergut.
The Chorinsky-Klause in the Weißenbach valley of Bad Goisern is a dam that was built in the 19th century to transport wood. A classic wood drift system. As early as 1526 there were the first porches that were used to store water. These were still made of wood, which made renovations necessary again and again. There is evidence of these new buildings in 1656 and 1766. A few hundred years passed before the construction of the now existing hermitage was started in 1809. Why all this?
Those who know the Salzkammergut can definitely imagine the reason for the need and the transport of huge amounts of wood. It was of course the salt mine in Hallstatt that consumed a gigantic amount of wood per day to fire the salt mine! In concrete terms, it was 230 m³ of wood that was burned every day in Hallstatt. If you were to stack this wood, you would get a tower that is as high as the Berlin-Scholzplatz radio tower. Later, of course, wood was increasingly replaced by coal and so the demand decreased over the centuries. Nevertheless, in the Salzkammergut, timber and transport had to be rationalized very early on.
The 28.27m long wooden drift system still rises on a rock bank. The rock in the Salzkammergut is primarily limestone, which is why the Chorinsky-Klause also consists of limestone blocks. The actual dam wall is 6.21 m high. This pioneering technical structure creates a maximum backwater of 75,000m³ of water. The wood transport is based on this, because the water was dammed and after the hermitage, the wood waited to be transported in the stream to the Weißenbach district.The locks were not simply opened but "struck" with a special mechanism. So the water and the wood flowed through the valley at breakneck speed.
Until the early 2000s, a "Klausschlag" was held annually. In recent years, however, the Chorinskyklause was no longer allowed to be beaten for environmental reasons. The hermitage can still be visited free of charge at any time and you can experience a piece of woodworking history up close.
Not far from the Chorinksy-Klause is the well-known Imperial Table. And whoever would like to learn something about the life of the woodcutters is well informed and looked after in the wood cutter museum Bad Goisern!
Experience a 360° panorama tour through Bad Goisern at Lake Hallstatt…
The Chrorinsky-KLause can be visited at any time in summer and can be reached on foot in about 1 1/2 hours. The Klause may no longer be struck for environmental reasons.
650 m
Accessibility / arrivalThe Chorinsky-Klause is located in the village of Weißenbach after Bad Goisern at Lake Hallstatt. The Chorinsky-Klause is only accessible by foot or by bike along the forest road.
by car
from Salzburg:
Exit Thalgau via federal road B158 towards Bad Ischl, in Bad Ischl drive onto Salzkammergut Street B145 towards Bad Goisern
from Linz:
Exit Regau via federal road Salzkammergut street B145 towards Gmunden and Bad Ischl to Bad Goisern
from Vienna/Graz:
Exit Liezen via federal road B320, in Trautenfels drive onto Salzkammergut street B145 towards Bad Goisern
from Villach:
Tauern motorway to exit "Eben im Pongau", via B166 Pass Gschütt federal road through Gosau, at the Gosaumühle junction turn towards Bad Goisern
by train
Attnang-Puchheim - Stainach-Irdning lines
stop “Goisern Jodschwefelbad”, from there about 5.4 km away
by bus
Bus 542 (Bad Ischl - Gosausee)
stop Bad Goisern Jodschwefelbad, from there about 5.4 km away
Detailed information on the respective train and bus times can be found at https://www.oebb.at/en/ (train) and https://www.postbus.at/en (bus).
The Chorinsky-Klause can be visited for free throughout the year.
Free admission for children
Entry with the Salzkammergut Card is 2 EUR
Please get in touch for more information.
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Tourismusvbd Inneres Salzkammergut