World heritage town
Hallstatt

Hallstatt is the archaeological heart of the World Heritage Region and is home to the world’s oldest salt mines. Visitors from around the world flock to the historic village centre and love to stroll along the path along the shore of Lake Hallstatt. Hallstatt has many unique characteristics including its houses that nestle like swallows’ nests between the lake and the mountain sides. Then there are the higher valley and the salt mines, the stunning views and cultural attractions that explain the thousands of years of history of the community.  The Echerntal Valley is another natural gem.  

More about Hallstatt and reasons to visit.​​​​​​​

Today

• The small market community Hallstatt has 778 inhabitants, is located on the western shore of Lake Hallstatt and covers a total area of more than 855 square kilometres stretching from the Gosauzwang to the salt mines.
•  Accessibility: Boat, bike (lake shore cycle path), bus, car (parking system in place)

To date:

•  Archaeologists continue to make new discoveries. There is a Roman excavation right in the centre of the village (cellars of Janu’s Sport Shop.
• The Fua (Fuhre) or  “Plätte”,  is a traditional wooden boat used for transportation and can still be seen on the lake, for example during the annual “Fronleichnam” Corpus Christi celebrations The boat is difficult to steer with just a wooden pole.

In the past

•  Hallstatt/Dachstein Salzkammergut is one of just  20 UNESCO World Heritage Sites around the world that are renowned for their natural and cultural heritage at the same time
• The history of salt mining in the World Heritage Community gave its name to the Hallstatt Age (800 to 450 BC). The term „Hal(l)“  („salt“) dates back to the Celts

Fact:

• There is an unrivalled replica of the community of  Hallstatt in China (Guangdong Province) 
• Charnel House, Hallstatt Museum, Burial Ground dating back to the Hallstatt Age and the Salt mines Exhibition are popular cultural attractions