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Photo: Gunnar Richter Namenlos.net, CC BY 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Find out more about one of the oldest known European cultures at Hallstatt, which shaped the Iron & Bronze ages of middle Europe from 1200 to 450 BC, and up to its discovery in the 1800s.
The Hallstatt Museum is a museum in Hallstatt, Upper Austria, that has an unrivalled collection of discoveries from the local salt mines and from the cemeteries of Iron Age date near to the mines, which have made Hallstatt the type site for the important Hallstatt culture. The museum is close to the Hallstättersee, below the salt mines on the mountainside. The museum, the salt mines, and the Dachstein Ice Cave are designated as an UNESCO World Heritage Site.
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Beinhaus
"Bone House" in English. Due to the extremely limited space in the cemetery, burials are only temporary. After 10-15 years the grave is opened and the bones are removed and bleached in the sun. Then they are stacked in the Beinhaus. It's not as gruesome as it sounds. Skulls are often decorated with painted flowers and the family name. This practice was stopped in the 1970s with the approval of cremation by the Catholic Church. You will see that those who remain buried all have recent dates of death.
At the lake bank side uninterrupted by houses, the spot is high enough to capture all of the above in one picture.
Located at an island accessible with a wooden bridge. While the view of the village center might not be as good due to its distance, the spot is perfect to see the mountains. And best of all, it's usually quiet.
Get into the oldest salt mine in the world that formed the Hallstatt settlement and culture dating back to 7,000 years ago. To reach the mine, use the funicular from Talstation 360 m up to Bergstation, where you will find yourself adjacent to Rudolfsturm, which originally functions as the fortification of the cave and offers a view of the mountains. A further 2-km hike will take you to the salt cave at 828 m above sea level, which can only be visited with a tour starting from the bottom. It includes historical information, the longest miner's slide in Europe (64 m downward), a multimedia show inside a cavernous hall, and ends with a train ride out of the cave. The cave can also be visited by children ages 4 and above. Warm clothing recommended as the temperature inside is 7°C year round.
In Dachstein, across the lake from Hallstatt, there are caves with ice waterfalls, lakes and ponds streaming through the limestone. Be sure to bring a jacket or sweater.