Wald im Pinzgau

Wald im Pinzgau is a town snuggled at the foot of the Hohe Tauern National Park. Just a few kilometers from Wald im Pinzgau you come to a small museum housed in a wonderful old peasant’s cottage. The museum has an excellent collection of gems that are mined in the mountains overlooking Wald. It is very interesting that only in this one small section of Austria have emeralds been discovered. The fame of these beautiful stones was such that they attracted buyers from as far away as Venice. (In fact, the highest peaks are called Gross Venediger and Klein Venediger in respect of these early Venetian tourists.) In addition to the rock collection, the museum also has many other exhibits including one on how honey was produced within very old beehives (of particular interest are two beehives whose doors open showing the bees very busy with their “honeywork”). Close to Wald im Pinzgau is one of the most famous sightseeing destinations in Austria, the Krimml Falls, the largest waterfall in Europe.