The "Chorinsky Klause" in Bad Goisern on Lake Hallstatt
Brief information in advance
One of the most beautiful and certainly the most historic natural and cultural monuments in the UNESCO World Heritage region of Hallsatt Dachstein Salzkammergut is the "Chorinsky-Klause" in Bad Goisern. It can be hiked on foot or reached by mountain bike. However, you should bring a little time with both variants. You can find more information about this on this page below. And now more about the history of the "Chorinsky-Klause"
Chorinsky Lock Bad Goisern
The Chorinsky-Klause is located in the wild and romantic Weißenbach valley, very close to the Brunntal alp. It is a technical monument from a time when the timber and salt trade was of extreme importance for the Salzkammergut. Combined with a hike or a bike tour, the wooden drift system is one of the sights of Bad Goisern that you have to experience!
Hiking and Biking
This sight in the middle of the picturesque Brunntal alp in the Weissenbach valley of Bad Goisern is of historical importance and uniqueness. Combined with a bike tour or hike, the wood drift system is the highlight for a relaxing day in nature in the holiday region Dachstein Salzkammergut.
Built of wood - made for wood
The Chorinsky-Klause in the Weißenbach valley of Bad Goisern is a dam that was built in the 19th century to transport wood. A classic wood drift system. As early as 1526 there were the first porches that were used to store water. These were still made of wood, which made renovations necessary again and again. There is evidence of these new buildings in 1656 and 1766. A few hundred years passed before the construction of the now existing hermitage was started in 1809. Why all this?
Once a radio tower in Berlin-Scholzplatz!
Those who know the Salzkammergut can definitely imagine the reason for the need and the transport of huge amounts of wood. It was of course the salt mine in Hallstatt that consumed a gigantic amount of wood per day to fire the salt mine! In concrete terms, it was 230 m³ of wood that was burned every day in Hallstatt. If you were to stack this wood, you would get a tower that is as high as the Berlin-Scholzplatz radio tower. Later, of course, wood was increasingly replaced by coal and so the demand decreased over the centuries. Nevertheless, in the Salzkammergut, timber and transport had to be rationalized very early on.
One of the last wooden drift systems in the Salzkammergut
The 28.27m long wooden drift system still rises on a rock bank. The rock in the Salzkammergut is primarily limestone, which is why the Chorinsky-Klause also consists of limestone blocks. The actual dam wall is 6.21 m high. This pioneering technical structure creates a maximum backwater of 75,000m³ of water. The wood transport is based on this, because the water was dammed and after the hermitage, the wood waited to be transported in the stream to the Weißenbach district.The locks were not simply opened but "struck" with a special mechanism. So the water and the wood flowed through the valley at breakneck speed.
Until the early 2000s, a "Klausschlag" was held annually. In recent years, however, the Chorinskyklause was no longer allowed to be beaten for environmental reasons. The hermitage can still be visited free of charge at any time and you can experience a piece of woodworking history up close.
Other interesting spots nearby
Not far from the Chorinksy-Klause is the well-known Imperial Table. And whoever would like to learn something about the life of the woodcutters is well informed and looked after in the wood cutter museum Bad Goisern!
A holiday in the UNESCO World Heritage Region of Hallstatt Dachstein Salzkammergut offers so much more than just sightseeing, culture and pleasure. In Bad Goisern on Lake Hallstatt, Hallstatt and Obertraun, you have the opportunity to fully experience all types of action sports and satisfy your craving for adventure. Hiking and mountain biking as well as climbing, swimming and even scuba diving are only some of the possibilities for getting out and enjoying the natural surroundings. The extraordinary landscape of the Salzkammergut is made for outdoor activities. From swimming in the crystal-clear lakes and rafting on the Traun River to paragliding from the 2000 meter Krippenstein in Obertraun, you can push yourself to the limit during an active holiday in the Lake Hallstatt region.So much to experience!
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Hotels and accommodation providers in Hallstatt, Bad Goisern, Gosau and Obertraun offer the ideal room or apartment for your holidays, no matter what your tastes. Aside from establishments rated according to the international "star" scale, you will also find around Lake Hallstatt in Austria businesses that have been awarded two to four "edelweiss". The more flowers, the greater comforts you can expect. Whether you eventually find your cozy nest in an elegant 5-star luxury hotel, at comfortable guesthouse, a family-friendly apartment, or on a traditional farm, the choice is always entirely up to you.