Advertisement
Published: June 11th 2013
Edit Blog Post
The Traunsee
Photo taken biking along the lake to Gmunden After spending time Skyping my sister and getting all the Taranaki news, we set off for Gmunden which is down the other end of the Traunsee (Lake Traun). The weather was looking dicey so we loaded the pannier with our rain gear and lunches and a back pack for incidentals. It was also cold, much the same temps as we had been having at home before we left.
On the way we passed the village of Traunkirchen which we visited 2 days ago and continued on the R2 bike path. It is a well marked biking path wide enough for 2 abreast on concrete or asphalt so it's pretty easy going. Close to Gmunden is a promontory covered with lovely trees and the building for Central Congress and the Land Castle Ort. Over a long wooden land bridge is the Lake Castle Ort which was first mentioned in 909 but mostly built by Emperor Frederic 3rd (Freddy) from 1440. After a fire it was rebuilt in 1634. Now it is used mostly by people getting married and a TV series. It is a lovely building and has a commanding position sitting out in the water. Speaking of water, inside is
Schloss Ort near Gmunden
The walkway across to the castle on a small island a line showing the water levels from floods over the years with 1899 showing the lake water level covering the entire bottom floor. We also went into something like a cellar and behind a grill was a human skull and bones. Gruesome.
The Land Castle Ort is a huge castle build by a count in 1626. It is a magnificent building, but the thing that struck me most was the ornate grills and frescoes sticking out from all the windows on the bottom floor. We had a walk around the promontory and the castle grounds then continued on our bikes to some gardens on the Esplanade to eat our packed lunch. It wasn't warm with a wind blowing straight in from the lake. However, patches of sun were beginning to appear.
From there we went to the Rathaus (Town Hall) which sits in a largish square on the foreshore. It's clock chimes are made of green and white Gmunden ceramics which is unusual. They sound different than the usual chimes too. The Rathaus was once the centre of the salt trade for the whole region.
Don't you just love some of the German words? They are not
pronounced as they look but they sound funny in English. Rathaus = Rat House (Town Hall). Krankenhaus = Kranken House (a Hospital). Ausfahrt = Oush Fart (way out or exit).
Gmunden is reknowned for it's ceramics for over 500 years and there is a yearly market in August. What I saw did not appeal to me as some looked very folksy and not as good as what Nelsonian crafts people create.
We then did a walk around the Old Town and on the way called in at the Cathedral. It had a magnificent golden alter and was quite awesome. I did wonder how you would concentrate during a service with so many beautiful pictures, frescoes, alters, angels and other Biblical people on display. No wonder the lowly peasants were so cowed and compliant.
So, back on our bikes and heading to Ebensee again, looking for hot chocolate and cake which we found back in Traunkirchen.
All in all a good day. Gmunden has a lovely setting and some beautiful buildings and is worth a visit.
Advertisement
Tot: 0.375s; Tpl: 0.011s; cc: 17; qc: 60; dbt: 0.1447s; 1; m:domysql w:travelblog (10.17.0.13); sld: 1;
; mem: 1.2mb