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Windischgarsten
Windischgarsten is an Austrian municipality and since 1964 a mountain health resort. The town lies in the Upper Austrian Pyhrn-Priel region at an altitude of 600m and is home to around 2,400 people. It is surrounded by the famous Tote Gebirge and Sengsengebirge Mountains as well as by the Kalkalpen National Park. Windischgarsten is easily accessible via the A9 motorway and by train.
Not far from today’s Windischgarsten, Roman overnight shelters were located from the 2nd to the 5th century. Being a market town, it was the natural centre of the region. Its most famous visitor was Emperor Frederick Barbarossa who stayed overnight with his royal entourage in 1170. Today, tourism is the most important economic sector in the region.
Windischgarsten is known for its historic manor houses, the oldest arcade in Austria and the Calvary Church with baroque pieta and fantastic view to the surrounding mountains. But Windischgarsten has also pretty little shops, the longest summer toboggan run in Europe and most of all a lot of unspoilt nature: cross-country skiing, snow shoe tours or back country skiing in winter – golfing, climbing and hiking in summer.
Things to Do in Windischgarsten
Windischgarsten is especially known for one event: the International Leather Trousers Meeting. It takes place every year on the last weekend in July. It is all about leather trousers, dirndls, traditions, customs and local delicacies. The Leather Trousers Meeting should not be mistaken for the Munich Oktoberfest!