The old market town of Saalfelden lies surrounded by rugged and precipitous mountains in the wide valley basin of the River Saalbach before its entry into the narrow gorges between the Steinernes Meer ("Sea of Stone") and the Leoganger and Loferer Steinberge. Situated in the heart of the Pinzgau, on the important highway from Bad Reichenhall to the Zeller See and the Grossglockner, Saalfelden is surrounded by a whole series of small summer and winter sports resorts in the mountains.
In the town center stands the Catholic parish church with a fine late Gothic winged altar and a Gothic crypt.
The Schwalbenwand (2,011m/6,600ft) south of Saalfelden can be climbed in four hours, and it is another 1.5 hours to the Hundstein (2,116m/6,943ft), the highest peak in the Salzburg Schieferalpen.
9km/5.5mi east of Maria Alm, at the head of the valley, lies Hinterthal (1,016m/3,333ft), from which experienced climbers can scale the Hochkönig (2,941m/9,49ft), to the east, in six hours. From Hinterthal a mountain road crosses the Filzensattel (1,292m/4,239ft) to Dienten, on the Hochkönig (see under Pinzgau).
Southeast of Saalfelden, in the Urslautal, nestles Maria Alm (795m/2,608ft; pop. 1,500), a summer and winter sports resort in a beautiful setting at the foot of the Steinernes Meer. The spire of the pilgrimage church (originally Gothic; Virgin of 1480) is the highest in the province of Salzburg (84m/275ft). Chairlifts and ski lifts provide access to the surrounding heights (skiing).
Address: Maria Alm Tourist Office, Dorf 65, A-5761 Maria Alm, Austria
A footpath (one hour) leads northeastward from Saalfelden am Steinernen Meer to Schloss Lichtenberg (913m/2,996ft; originally 13th C.), perched in a commanding position on the slopes of the towering Persailhorn. Ten minutes' climb above the castle stands the Palvankapelle (St George's chapel, 1675; 1,004m/3,294ft), with a rock-hewn pulpit and a hermitage. From Kehlbach, a district on the southwestern side of the town, a lift goes up to the Huggenbergalm (1,115m/3,659ft; inn; toboggan run in summer), with a fine view.
Schloss Ritzen, by a small lake to the south of the town of Saalfelden am Steinernen Meer, houses a local museum, with the largest collection of Christmas cribs (Nativity groups) in Austria, as well as a collection of minerals and Celtic and Roman finds. There is also a special exhibition devoted to local artists.
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Maria Alm, Austria
