Time travel
to the cultural and historical sites in the heart of the Mölltal valley
... about Mölltal's most beautiful castles & palaces
The updated new edition of the brochure "A journey through time to the cultural and historical sites in the heart of the Mölltal" with creatively designed maps offers visitors interested in culture an excellent opportunity to inform themselves independently and easily about historical events from prehistoric times to the present day
Fascinating historical buildings:
Groppenstein Castle
Trabuschgen Castle
The Slavic term for an elevation, "Dragoschken", gave Trabuschgen Castle its name. The castle was first mentioned in documents in the 14th century. The oldest part of the building was constructed during the heyday of mining in the region in the 15th and 16th centuries. After it was acquired by Hans Adam Stampfer von Walchenberg in 1692, the castle took on its current form and became the center of a royal circle of aristocrats. This historic building still exudes its charm today.
Falkenstein Castle
Discover the fascinating history of Falkenstein Castle! Sitting majestically above the Mölltal valley, Falkenstein Castle towers 320 meters above the valley floor. With its imposing fortifications, it once served as amighty fortress, whose defensive wall signaled at first glance: uninvited guests are not welcome here. The history of the castle dates back to 1307, when it was first mentioned in a document. In the following eras, the owners of the castle changed constantly and it was run as a separate fiefdom and thus as an independent property. In 1905, Hofrat Ferdinand Kaltenegger von Riehorst acquired Falkenstein Castle and finally gave it its present appearance. Immerse yourself in the history of this imposing castle and experience at first hand how it has changed its appearance and functions over the centuries. Falkenstein Castle is a fascinating testimony to bygone eras and an absolute highlight for history buffs and nature lovers alike.
Flattach
Flattach, a town with a long mining history - once characterized by ore mining, today known for the impressive Raggaschlucht gorge and the Mölltal glacier in the heart of the Mölltal valley
Ragga Gorge Natural Monument
High above the Raggaschlucht gorge, in the Raggaalm, high-quality iron ore was also once mined. However, this mining ceased in the 18th century for unknown reasons.
Ragga Gorge natural monument
The Ragga Gorge was first made accessible to visitors in 1882, followed by its official declaration as a natural monument in 1978. Over the years, the footbridges have had to be renewed time and again, but the gorge is still one of the most impressive natural experiences in the region and a popular tourist destination.
Flattach parish church
In 1736, the church was built on pilots due to the marshy location. In 1784, it appears under the patronage of "St. Matthaei et Magdalenae". After the decline of copper mining in 1834, the church was in danger of falling into disrepair, but was preserved with community funds. Over the centuries, it was repeatedly hit by floods and had to be renovated time and again.
Mallnitz
Today, Mallnitz is a mountaineering village with a long tradition and alpine expertise. Its mountain world, well developed with paths and mountain huts, is an Eldorado for hikers and mountain sports enthusiasts and offers all kinds of possibilities, from flat walks in the middle of the Hohe Tauern National Park to high alpine climbing in the world of three thousand meter peaks.
It is difficult to estimate how long the Mallnitz Tauern crossings have been in use as connecting routes between north and south. Finds suggest this at least from the Neolithic period onwards. Celtic coin finds and the remains of Roman roads suggest that these paths have had at least temporary significance as passages over the Hohe Tauern since ancient times. The pronounced mule traffic of the late Middle Ages and early modern times, which was also linked to gold mining, finally led to an increase in travel in the early 19th century.
The 19th century was generally a time when the mountains were no longer seen by travelers and adventurers as a dangerous and arduous obstacle, but were discovered as a rewarding destination.
This also applied to Mallnitz, as from the 1870s Mallnitz developed into one of the most sought-after summer resorts in the Hohe Tauern. It was mainly tourists from Klagenfurt, Vienna and Trieste, mostly aristocrats, who appreciated the seclusion and originality of the place and felt that the picturesque Alpine scenery in the Mallnitz high valley was sufficient compensation for the initially rather modest tourist infrastructure.
By a stroke of good fortune, mountaineering tourism also began in the 1880s. The important Viennese palaeontologist, geologist and founder of the Austrian Alpine Club Edmund von Mojsisovics discovered the Mallnitz Valley as his favorite summer destination. Mojsisovics came to Mallnitz through his friend, the outstanding surgeon and Viennese university rector Dr. Karl Gussenbauer, who was born in Obervellach. With Mojsisovics and above all with his excellent contacts to north-western German Alpine Club sections such as Hannover, Hagen, Celle, Minden, Göttingen, Goslar, etc., a classic alpine development activity began in 1888 with the construction of the Hannoverhütte in the Ankogel area, which was previously unknown in this pronounced form in Carinthia. Even before this, an intensive race to discover new routes and first ascents of summits had already begun, which repeatedly earned Mallnitz rich mentions in alpine literature.
Mallnitz had a promising future as a place for summer retreats and mountain sports, but the complicated journey to get there still put clear limits on this development. However, with the construction of the Tauern Railway in 1909, the Mallnitz Valley was connected to the entire European rail network, ushering in a period of economic and tourist prosperity.
