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Hallein-Bad Dürrnberg Salt Mine
An adventurous journey into the world of white gold. On the mine train – dressed in appropriate miner’ s clothing – you ride deep into the Dürrnberg and the world of salt. It was here that the prince archbishops had the salt mined that guaranteed them riches and power. On the tour through the mine, explorers slither rapidly down to an underground salt lake, then sail on a raft accompanied by mystical sounds. Numerous finds attest to the fact that the Celts had searched here for white gold more than 2500 years ago. www. salzwelten. at
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The old section of Hallein, including the 700-yearold town center, is a tranquil place listed as a historic monument. With old, enchanted lanes, romantic hideaways, arcaded walkways and lovingly restored houses, it is a gem of medieval architecture, as well as homes that were later adapted to the style of the Baroque. www. hallein. com The foundation of the city’ s development was salt. Trade, craftsmanship and commerce were dependent for many centuries on its production and its shipping by barge on the River Salzach. The last salt mine on the Dürrnberg ceased production in 1989. Hallein, or the“ small Hall”, in contrast to the“ big” Reichenhall, has been chronicled since the 13th cent. The“ Salt-Works City” was Central Europe’ s biggest salt supplier in the 13th cent. and always an important source of revenue for the Salzburg prince archbishops. The town is also one of the places associated with the song“ Silent Night”: For 28 years, the parish church was where F. X. Gruber served as choirmaster, organist and composer, and whose home and grave can be visited nearby- Silent Night Museum Hallein. www. stillenachthallein. at
Discoveries in the Tennengau
The political district of Hallein covers the same area as the Tennengau, which is the smallest of the five Salzburg districts. Abtenau, Adnet, Annaberg / Lungötz, Golling, Krispl-Gaissau, Kuchl, Oberalm, Puch, Russbach, Scheffau, St. Koloman, St. Martin and Vigaun are the other Tennengau communities. With every step, you encounter intact nature and the abundant beauty Mother Nature has in store: Not wanting to be active here seems impossible, with so many recreational activities available to do. Spring, summer and autumn, hikers, cyclists and mountain bikers are out and about, others find their happiness on horseback or enjoying a leisurely ride in a horsedrawn carriage, hang- and paragliders circle in the sky, in the wild-water streams some work on their rafting skills, others steer their kayaks, and on the summer Alpine Slides big and small“ put the pedal to the medal” and race towards the valley below. Awaiting you in Abtenau is the Karkogel Alpine Slide, and outside Hallein the Dürrnberg Alpine
Zooming down the slide, a big part of any visit to the salt mine
Slide. And winter promises pure skiing and snowy enjoyment in the ski areas of Lammertal-Dachstein West, Salzachtal, Tennengebirge, the Osterhorn Group, on the Gosaukamm and the Hoher Göll. The Postalm scenic toll road provides access to Austria’ s biggest area of high pastures, and connects Lammertal valley with the Salzkammergut. The“ Postalm” is a recreation and hiking area, and in winter a broad region for alpine and Nordic skiing, snowshoeing and sledding. www. postalm. at
On an Alpine Slide, who needs snow!
The song“ Silent Night” as a message of peace
The song“ Silent Night, Holy Night” is sung around the world in around 330 languages. At every milestone in its story, you will learn fascinating facts about the birth and dissemination of the song. At Christmas in 1914, British and German soldiers came out of the trenches on the western front and sang the song together. Of course, afterward, they did continue to shoot at each other. The two men who created the song, assistant priest and lyricist Joseph Mohr and composer Franz Xaver Gruber, came from humble beginnings. Mohr’ s godfather was the last executioner in Salzburg, and Gruber was a teacher, who at 19 years old, had to marry the widow of his predecessor- she had two children- in order to get this position. These times were extremely hard. Napoleon’ s troops pushed their way into the country and brought despair, hunger, and death to the people there. These conditions lasted for years. Mohr and Gruber, who had experienced the bitter pill of poverty since childhood, saw how hopeless the people’ s situation was. Out of empathy, they decided to create a symbol of comfort and solace in the form of a song. Of course, they would have never guessed the momentous impact their song would have when they performed it for the congregation of St. Nicholas’ church in Oberndorf bei Salzburg. It was heard as a message of peace and a plea for reconciliation, and it has been understood as such throughout the world to this day.
Unfortunately, the church where it was first performed no longer exists. The church was destroyed by the many floods brought on by the nearby Salzach river. In its place stands a memorial chapel, which is now visited by thousands from all over the world each year. Shortly after the song was composed, it became widely known in many countries thanks to traveling families of singers. As early as 1839, it was even heard in New York. It finally reached the most remote parts of the earth through missionaries. The two creators profited from it in no way whatsoever. Mohr died as a poor priest, while Gruber attained some standing as a musician. The song is as moving today as ever.
Werner Thuswaldner is the author of several books about this subject. His most recent novel“ Das Jubiläum” takes a more ironic view of the hype surrounding the song