Salzkammergut: Places to Explore

Altaussee

Taking a fairly steep road from Bad Aussee, you'll find Altaussee tucked away at the end of a lake cradled by gentle mountains. This is one of the most magical spots of the Salzkammergut. As Austrian poet Friedrich Torberg put it: "Whoever comes to Altaussee does not want to go anywhere else, and if he would, he couldn't. Altaussee is a crowning conclusion. The mountains not only lie around the lake, they surround and protect it. Like a fortress, they make you feel cozy and secure."

During the war, Nazi leaders were ordered to store stolen art in underground caverns near Altaussee. In their hurry to get the job done, they skipped a few details; one story has it that a famous painting from Vienna, possibly a Rubens or a Rembrandt, was overlooked and spent the remaining war years on the porch of a house near the entrance to the mines.

Altaussee at a Glance

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