Traunsee
The Traunsee is one of the larger lakes in the Salzkammergut, being 12km/7.5mi long, up to 3km/2mi wide and 191m/625ft deep. Above its eastern side tower three peaks - the Erlakogel (1,570m/5,151ft, forming a silhouette known as the "Schlafended Griechin" (the "Sleeping Greek Girl"), the Hochkogel (1,483m/4,866ft) and the Traunstein (1,691m/5,548ft). Along the western side of the lake, between Gmunden at the northern end and Ebensee at the southern tip, runs the Salzkammergut Road, some sections of which, blasted from rock, wind their way along high above the lake. The lake offers ample scope for water sports - fishing, diving, rowing, water skiing, surfing and sailing; there are also boat trips round the lake.
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Must-see attractions nearby:
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Related Attractions
Langbathseen
It is worth making the trip from Ebensee 10km/6mi to the northwest up the wooded Langbathtal to two lakes, the Langbathseen (664m/2,179ft and 753m/2,471ft).
Alm Valley
15km/9mi east of Gmunden, in the wide valley of the Alm, will be found the resort of Scharnstein, with a Schloss (c. 1600) which now houses the Austrian Museum of Criminal Law and also a branch of the Vienna Folk Art Museum, with special exhibitions.
Altmunster, Austria
Altmünster (443m/1,453ft; pop. 7,800), a resort on the western side of the lake, has a fine Late Gothic church (richly appointed interior) and a children's village. A steep and narrow road (6km/4mi) ascends the Gmundner Berg (822m/2,697ft; view). Schloss Ebenzweier (17th C.) is now a school.
Ebensee, Austria
Ebensee (426m/1,398ft; pop. 10,000) lies at the southern end of the Traunsee, dominated by the Höllengebirge to the west. In winter every year, when the Fasching carnival is held in Ebensee, the Ebensee "Glöcklerlauf" (Bellringers' Race) takes place on Jan. 5. On the southeastern side of the lake, facing Ebensee, is Rindbach, another little summer resort.
Ebensee - Gassel Stalactite Cave
The Gassel Stalactite Cave in Ebensee is an interesting place for both amateur and professional speleologists.
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Grunau, Austria
7km/4.5mi south of Scharnstein lies the summer resort of Grünau (527m/1,729ft), a good base for climbing, 6km/4mi south of which is the Cumberland Wildlife Park (brown bears, otters, beavers, etc.; research facilities and a forestry museum).
Hochkreut Wildlife Park
8km/5mi southwest of Altmünster, surrounded by woodland, lies the Hochkreut Wildlife Park, where can be seen red deer, ibex, bison, moufflons and other wild animals in open enclosures. There is also a path to follow to hear bird calls and learn about fungi, as well as a frog pond.
Ort
A little way southwestward of Gmunden lies the parish of Ort, with Schloss Ort (17th C.) on a small island in the lake; the "Seeschloss" was once the property of Archduke Johann Salvator ("Johann Orth"), who disappeared in South America in 1891, and now houses the Forestry Office. The castle, with a beautiful arcaded courtyard, is connected - via the Toscana peninsula - with the mainland by means of a wooden bridge 130m/140yds long. The "Landschloss" (now a Federal School of Forestry) stands on the above mentioned peninsula; its four wings enclose a courtyard with a wrought iron fountain. Near the Landschloss will be found the Gmunden-Toscana Congress Center with a park.
Traundorf
On the right bank of the Traun lies the district of Traundorf, in the north of which stands Schloss Cumberland (1882-86; now a sanatorium), built by the last King of Hannover to house the Guelph Treasure.
Traunkirchen, Austria
Traunkirchen (422m/1,385ft; pop. 1,500), situated on a peninsula, is a summer resort with a former Benedictine nunnery. The Early Baroque parish church has an unusual pulpit in the form of a boat, with fish and figures representing the Miraculous Draught of Fishes (1753). Near the church stands the 17th C. St Michael's Chapel, and on a wooded crag above the village the little church of St John (1609).
Traunstein
From Gmunden-Weyer a cableway runs southeastward up the Grünberg (1,004m/3,294ft), from where it is a two and a half hours' climb southward up the Traunstein (1,691m/5,548ft), which commands extensive views.
