Saint Wolfgang im Salzkammergut - Austria

On Christmas Eve last year, we decided to stay in Styria and take day trips to Salzkammergut. We dedicated one day to the town of Hallstatt, which I had mentioned in my previous posts about our journey. We really wanted to visit Sankt Gilgen, the birthplace of Mozart's mother, Anna Maria but we left that for later. Instead, we headed to Sankt Wolfgang, with plans to explore the town and maybe take a boat ride if we had time. As we approached the town, I stretched my neck to admire the turquoise waters of Lake Wolfgangsee.

From the moment we arrived, Sankt Wolfgang captivated me. It's a charming, welcoming place filled with an incredible abundance of flowers. We learned that the town's name comes from Saint Wolfgang, who was canonized here. The hermit Wolfgang built a church in this location and where there's a church, a town eventually follows. The hermit turned into a saint and miraculous healings that took place in the church are remembered. Because of this, pilgrims and mourners flocked to Sankt Wolfgang. Now a cathedral stands where the old church, damaged by fire, once stood.

Tourist sites offered high praise for the cathedral's decoration, so we knew it was a must-visit. Sankt Wolfgang is such a warm and inviting place that there's no room for sadness. I found myself wishing I could have a summer house there.

This town isn't a place to rush from one tourist spot to another. It's better to sit on the terrace of a lakeside restaurant, enjoy the flavors of Austrian cuisine and watch people as they pass by.

Sankt Wolfgang is located in Salzkammergut, a historic region. The name translates from German as salt chamber. Salzkammergut is a region with 76 lakes spread across three states: Lower Austria, Salzburg and Styria. Initially, we planned to stay in Sankt Wolfgang for just a day, but as we explored the surroundings, we decided to extend our stay to two days, then to five. I can confidently say that even this time wasn't enough to get a comprehensive sense of the area.

In the morning, we enjoyed breakfast on the hotel's terrace, savoring the scenery around us. There was the turquoise Lake Wolfgangsee, the mountains with their peaks hidden in the clouds and a sense of peace and tranquility.

After breakfast, our plans included enjoying the breathtaking view of 14 lakes from there, then hiking down. We based our plans on information we found in guidebooks, online and in reviews from the few tourists who had visited the area. These sources mentioned that if desired, one could hike up Schafberg Mountain, which would take about four hours and would require proper footwear.

The beauty of the alpine meadows and the surrounding scenery helped us not to notice the ups and downs of the terrain. The descending paths sometimes turned into small stone steps and sometimes they completely disappeared. However, this descent wasn't difficult even for an unprepared tourist, elderly people and families with small children were hiking down with us. Almost everyone had walking sticks. I should note that telescopic walking sticks not only provide support but also help relieve the joints of the knees and hips, the spine and muscle structure in general. Complete relaxation is achieved when two sticks are used because using only one stick can lead to different loading of muscles and joints on the right and left sides of the body.

Lake Wolfgangsee is a stunning lake surrounded by Schafberg and Osterhorn mountain ranges. The lake stretches from northwest to southeast and is only 200 meters wide at its narrowest point near the town of Sankt Wolfgang. This is a mountain lake of glacial origin and while small in size, it is quite deep. In twilight or cloudy weather, the lake appears gray-blue, but on sunny days, it takes on a unique shade of turquoise. The mesmerizing color of Wolfgangsee was captivating even in cloudy weather. It seemed like the water was glowing from within. Like other lakes in Salzkammergut, Wolfgangsee is of glacial origin, giving its waters a crystal-clear quality.

Wolfgangsee is located in the heart of Salzkammergut, with mountain peaks surrounding it. Schafberg Mountain (1783 meters) rises above the lake from the north and northeast, while the Osterhorn Mountains are located in the south. The total length of the lake is over 11 kilometers, with a maximum depth of 114 meters.

Since we visited in winter, we didn't go on any lake cruises. However, in July and August, when lake cruises are open, historical steamship Franz Joseph I provides tours, which we would love to experience if we visit again during this time. Sankt Wolfgang is also great for various water sports. You can swim in the clear waters, fish, sunbathe, rent boats or sailboats and engage in activities like water skiing, windsurfing and diving. But these are activities for sunny weather. For us, just strolling along the lake, enjoying the scenery and feeding the many ducks and swans was enough.

The church in Sankt Wolfgang is the town's main attraction. According to the informational plaques, the first church was believed to be built in 972 by Archbishop Wolfgang of Regensburg. In 1413, Ulrich Maurer completely restored the old building, but 15 years later, it was almost entirely destroyed by fire. The head priest at the time ordered a new building to be constructed. The new building, which had two stories, featured angel carvings and many other figures, with the central one being Saint Wolfgang seated on a throne, surrounded by angels.

Later on, the church became a pilgrimage site because it contained the shrine of Saint Wolfgang. A monastery was established and priests settled there to help the pilgrims. The interior was then painted in a Baroque style and a new altar was made by Thomas Schwanthaler. Wolfgang's cell was reconstructed in a Rococo style in 1713 and added to the church.

Saint Wolfgang isn't a widely known figure. He arrived at the Mondsee Monastery in 976 and then traveled to the Abersee region (now known as Wolfgangsee). After seeking solitude at Falkenstein Rock, he decided to build a church. According to legend, the site for the church was determined by God's will, Wolfgang threw an axe and where it landed was where the church would be built. After three days of searching, they found the axe and the church was constructed on that site.

In front of the church is the Pilgrims Fountain. It features Saint Wolfgang, with mythical creatures below, along with four naked men representing the negative effects of excessive wine consumption. According to local stories, the water from this fountain has healing properties.

The buildings in Sankt Wolfgang are also impressive. For instance, Stefan Schwartz's Gothic-style building is tall and narrow, with painted window frames on the upper floors and an impressive painting of the Virgin Mary on the exterior, dated 1652.

St. Wolfgang is known for its beautiful architecture and evening lighting. The town becomes lively and welcoming during the New Year period, creating a warm atmosphere. Sitting by the river at night and watching the town's lights was very relaxing.

Later we explored various locations from Sankt Wolfgang, including Bad Ischl, Traunsee, Gmunden, Attersee, Mondsee and Sankt Gilgen. In the end, everything made us happy, even if we were tired and we learned a lot. We still smile as we remember this wonderful journey.