History and Culture in the Attersee-Attergau region
Our calender of events in the Attersee-Attergau region boasts the Attergauer New Year’s Concert in January, the International Nikolaus Harnoncourt Days in May, the events of the Attergauer Kultursommer festival and the Gustav Mahler Festival in the summer. The crime fiction festival "Mörderischer Attersee" offers fine readings and book presentations throughout the year.
First human settlement activity at the Attersee
The first traces of human settlement activities at Attersee date back to the Neolithic Age. Scientific investigations of pile-dwelling remains (2000/2001) have dated the oldest finds to the time around 3770 BC. According to this, the history of the pile dwellers in Lake Attersee is much older than originally assumed.
Since the 1870s, the pile-dwelling settlements of Lake Attersee have been systematically researched. Today, a large number of found objects give us a very accurate picture of how people lived at that time.
The pile dwellings are of particular importance in the Alpine region and were therefore elevated to the status of a UNESCO World Heritage Site in June 2011. In the two pavilions on Lake Attersee you can read about the history of the buildings and put yourself in the role of these prehistoric people.
The Celts are here
In the 1970s, three tumuli were discovered and excavated by a farmer at Dienstberg in the Attergau region. Based on this discovery, the theme and adventure trail Kelten.Baum.Weg, at the Kogelberg in St. Georgen im Attergau, was created in 2006. It is dedicated to the people of the Iron Age Latenè Culture, which flourished in our region Attersee-Attergau around 450 BC. Special highlights are an "original" Celtic house and a large Celtic playground.
The finds themselves are shown in the burial mound exhibition of the Attergau local history association in the House of Culture in St. Georgen im Attergau. This shows the restored finds from the three tumuli as well as other archaeological finds from the Attergau.
The Romans on summer retreat at the Attersee
The remains of a Roman luxury villa with several mosaic floors in Weyregg suggest that the invention of the summer resort at the Attersee most probably goes back to the Romans. The floor plans of this luxury villa were reconstructed with the help of prospecting. In the Roman exhibition in Weyregg on Lake Attersee you can view a 3D model of the luxury villa with a view of the lake as well as showcases with finds from the excavations.
It is especially nice to follow the traces of the Romans on the Roman cycle path from Passau through the Innviertel via the Attersee to Enns. The Roman cycle paths along the way, in Frankenmarkt, St. Georgen in Attergau and Seewalchen are not only good places to take a break, but also to learn interesting things about Roman gods and Roman life.
On the tracks of Klimt, Mahler, Harnoncourt and Co.
The summer resort also brought many famous artists to the Attersee. The most famous of them is certainly the artist Gustav Klimt, who spent almost every summer at the Attersee between 1900 and 1916. Most of his over 50 landscape paintings were created here.
Gustav Klimt
The centre of his summer stays was the Villa Paulick in Seewalchen at the Attersee. You can find out more about the life of Gustav Klimt and his works as well as the motifs of his oeuvre on the Gustav Klimt Theme Path. On the occasion of his 150th birthday, the Gustav Klimt Centre was opened in Schörfling am Attersee, where visitors can follow in the footsteps of Gustav Klimt in a multimedia exhibition, including his own cinema and multimedia touch screens. The Gahberg is a popular destination for excursions by Gustav Klimt.
Not only Gustav Klimt and Emilie Flöge spent a lot of time at Villa Paulick - in the summer months there are also regular guided tours and events where you can visit the historic villa.
Gustav Mahler
Those interested in Gustav Mahler are in good hands in Steinbach am Attersee. The traces of the great master in Steinbach am Attersee are manifold. A mosaic in the community centre of Steinbach, created according to a design by Prof. Christian Ludwig Attersee, pays homage to Gustav Mahler, often referred to as the "holiday composer", and a visit to the Gustav Mahler composer's cottage, as well as an exclusive 3-course Mahler menu á la Alma Mahler at the Hotel Föttinger in Steinbach am Attersee are a revelation for every Mahler admirer.
When Mahler, who loves peace and quiet, became too restless at the lake, he explored the area on the surrounding hills and occasionally returned to the "Grablerhof".
Nikolaus Harnoncourt
He was one of the few real world stars among the conductors. He reached an audience of millions and always remained true to himself - and that means one thing above all: he was a true servant of the arts.
Following the death of Nikolaus Harnoncourt in March 2016, the "International Nikolaus Harnoncourt Days" were established in St. Georgen im Attergau. St. Georgen as the place that has been home and retreat to its honorary citizen Nikolaus Harnoncourt for more than 40 years, the place that offered him that atmosphere as a powerful source of inspiration that he needed for his work. The place where his final resting place is in the cemetery of the parish church.
