Hallein Attractions
The old Celtic town of Hallein lies about 15km/9mi south of Salzburg on the River Salbach, which here emerges from the mountains into the Alpine foreland. It takes its name ("hall" is an old word for "Salz" = salt) from the ancient salt mines here. It is the chief town in the Tannengau and of industrial importance (chemicals, machinery, salt-mining in the Dürrnberg), with a college of woodworking and masonry. There were settlers on this site as early as 700 B.C. Hallein was granted its charter in 1230. Prehistoric inhabitants probably worked the Dürrnberg salt mines some 4,500 years ago. In 1938 the spa town of Dürrnberg to the south was made a part of Hallein.
In this picturesque old town you will find numerous little streets, gateways and statues, as well as houses built in the typical Salzach style. Opposite the parish church (Gothic choir) stands the house of the organist Franz Xaver Gruber (1787-1863), composer of "Silent Night" (see Salzburg, Surroundings); in front of the house is his grave.
In this picturesque old town you will find numerous little streets, gateways and statues, as well as houses built in the typical Salzach style. Opposite the parish church (Gothic choir) stands the house of the organist Franz Xaver Gruber (1787-1863), composer of "Silent Night" (see Salzburg, Surroundings); in front of the house is his grave.
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Celtic Museum
Housed in a former Orphanage, the Celtic Museum contains several exhibits of unearthed objects from the Hallstatt and Iron Age periods.
Dürrnberg - Salt Mine
The Salt Mine at Dürrnberg, south of Hallein, can be reached by cableway in a few minutes or on foot in an hour. The conducted tour (summer only) takes 1.5 hours, during which visitors toboggan down on polished tree trunks, see huge underground salt chambers, cross a salt lake on rafts and finally travel on miners' trucks through long galleries to the exit.
Hours
April 28 to September 30
| Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat | Sun | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Open | 9:00 | 9:00 | 9:00 | 9:00 | 9:00 | 9:00 | 9:00 |
| Close | 17:00 | 17:00 | 17:00 | 17:00 | 17:00 | 17:00 | 17:00 |
Guides
Guided tour included with admission.
Golling Falls
12km/7.5mi south of Hallein, near Golling, the Golling Falls (Gollinger Wasserfall) tumble down almost 100m/330ft from the Hoher Göll (2,522m/8,277ft).
Abtenau, Austria
(Near Hallein)
From Golling a pretty road leads eastwards through the beautiful Lammertal to Abtenau, a summer and winter resort in the Tennengebirge.
Celtic Open Air Museum
In the Mining Museum in Hallein can be seen a reconstructed Celtic farmstead (buildings and tools and equipment used by the Celts), and a burial chamber built on the lines of one found in Dürrnberg.
Dürrnberg - Mining Museum
In a former brine room near the Salt Mine at Dürrnberg there is now a Mining Museum, displaying tools and equipment, minerals, maps and descriptions of the mines.
Lammeröfen
Halfway between Golling and Abtenau a footpath goes off to the Lammeröfen, a narrow gorge hewn by the Lammer through the mountains (narrow footpath).
Tennengebirge - Walks
Abtenau (715m/2,346ft; parish church) is a good base for walks and climbs in the Tennengebirge: e.g. (seven hours, with guide) by way of the Laufener Hütte (1,726m/5,663ft) to the Bleikogel (2,412m/7,914ft). There is a chairlift from Abtenau to the Karkogel (1,200m/3,940ft).
Zinkenkogel
South of Dürrnberg, on the Zinkenkogel (1,330m/4,365ft; fine views) there is a skiing area with many facilities.
