Altaussee

Infobox Ort in Österreich
Art = Ort
Name = Altaussee
Wappen =
lat_deg = 47 | lat_min = 36 | lat_sec = 36
lon_deg = 13 | lon_min = 46 | lon_sec = 58
Bundesland = Steiermark
Bezirk = Liezen
Höhe = 752
Fläche = 92
Einwohner = 1892
Stand = 2005-12-31
PLZ = 8992
Vorwahl = 03622
Kfz = BA
Gemeindekennziffer = 6 12 04
NUTS = AT222
Straße = Fischendorf 61
Website = [http://www.altausee.at www.altaussee.at]
Bürgermeister = Hans Grieshofer
Partei =
Gemeinderatanzahl = 25
Gemeinderat = 16 SPÖ, 8 ÖVP,
1 Narren & Visionäre
Wahljahr = 2005

The small Austrian alpine village of Altaussee is nestled on the shores of the Altaussee lake, beneath the Loser Plateau. Occupying an area of 92 km², the village is home to 1,888 people. Altaussee is within the Salzkammergut region, in the state of Styria.

Local Geology

The characteristic pale grey mountains which surround Altaussee are made of limestone, a carbonate rock. The age of these rocks are Triassic and Jurassic. The mountains themselves did not form until the Cenozoic, when immense forces between the colliding African and Eurasian plates caused the mountains to be uplifted. The limestones which make up the mountains are white to pale grey in colour, and formed relatively deep in the ancient Tethys ocean. Because the rocks formed so deep, fossils are rare. However, corals are reported from the lower slopes of Loser mountain.

Tectonics: a major tectonic fault line runs directly beneath the Altaussee lake, approximately east-west, and terminates in the valley west of the Seewiese. The fault is seismically active, with small earthquakes common. On a hot, clear day in August 1998, a small earthquake on the fault (M=3) caught summer bathers by surprise with a low, rumbling sound and, a few minutes later, unusually high waves.

Evaporites: Large evaporite reserves are present in the Sandling mountain, and have been mined since ~1100 for salt. The mines are still operational today, and salt is pumped - dissolved in water - to the town of Bad Ischl. It is for this reason that Altaussee, and other local towns and villages such as Hallstatt, are now part of the Salzkammergut region. The evaporites formed as a result of a major period of marine lowstand, when the sea level was low and the sea dried out.

Exploring for yourself: A 7.5 km trail goes around a clear lake surrounded by 1568 m high Loser mountain and other mountain ranges. Brown and white alpine-style houses with a beautiful church are in the center of town. The tourist bureau has a few English pamphlets, but most information, including the Literatur museum inside, is in German. A saltmine tour is available every hour in the summer. Hiking trails abound, with various gradings. They are marked with green and white signs. The lower ones are easy to follow while the more difficult routes are sometimes less well-marked. A paradise for outdoor enthusiasts and hikers. Flora and waterfalls make the forests and mountains even more attractive in the summer.

Nearby towns and regions

Bad Aussee

Hallstatt

Bad Goisern

Bad Ischl

Styria

Useful links

[http://www.altaussee.at Altaussee Tourism]

[http://www.loser.at Loser Mountain and Ski Resort]

[http://www.salzkammergut.at/alias/salzkammergut/en Salzkammergut]