Saalbach-Hinterglemm
Encyclopedia
Saalbach-Hinterglemm is a municipality
in the district of Zell am See (Pinzgau
region), in the Austria
n state
of Salzburg
. It is well-known for its skiing
and other winter sports. A three piste
network consisting of Saalbach, Hinterglemm and Leogang is located in the municipality.
The nearest large city is Zell am See
, located about 20 km away. The municipality consists of two small towns: Saalbach and Hinterglemm, which each make up several Katastralgemeinden.
Johann Beckensloer
gave the town market rights
.
In spite of this, Saalbach remained, for the most part, a poor agrarian community up into the 20th century. A lasting increase in prosperity did not occur until after World War I
, but started primarily after the tourists began arriving in 1945.
In 1987 Saalbach’s name was changed to Saalbach-Hinterglemm.
Alpine Ski World Championships 1991
From the 22nd of January to February 1991 the Alpine Ski World Championships took place in Saalbach Hinterglemm. It was the biggest international event ever seen by the region with excellent weather conditions helping to make the event a huge success.
It has also been the venue for the British University Snowsports Championships (BUSC) and the British Royal Air Force championships on several occasions with great success.
's premier ski resort
s, offering a wide range of runs, extensive off piste, and an excellent snow record. Skiing can be found on both sides of the valley. The runs on the north side of the valley (south-facing side) tend to be preferred by visitors due to their sunny weather. The pistes on the south side of the valley (north-facing side) are normally in the shade, so have better snow cover, particularly in late season, as well as more trees. Much of the off piste skiing is found on the north side, where thigh-deep, untouched powder can be found only metres from many of the pistes. There is a small snowpark in Hinterglemm, but experienced snowboarders and skiers prefer to head to the snowpark in the adjacent valley in Leogang, which boasts superior kickers, as well as rails and jibs. Saalbach-Hinterglemm also features 6 and 8-man chairlifts with heated seats and retractable covers for use in bad weather.
Municipality
A municipality is essentially an urban administrative division having corporate status and usually powers of self-government. It can also be used to mean the governing body of a municipality. A municipality is a general-purpose administrative subdivision, as opposed to a special-purpose district...
in the district of Zell am See (Pinzgau
Pinzgau
The Bezirk Zell am See is an administrative district in the federal state of Salzburg, Austria, and congruent with the Pinzgau region....
region), in the Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
n state
States of Austria
Austria is a federal republic made up of nine states, known in German as Länder . Since Land is also the German word for a country, the term Bundesländer is often used instead to avoid ambiguity. The Constitution of Austria uses both terms...
of Salzburg
Salzburg (state)
Salzburg is a state or Land of Austria with an area of 7,156 km2, located adjacent to the German border. It is also known as Salzburgerland, to distinguish it from its capital city, also named Salzburg...
. It is well-known for its skiing
Skiing
Skiing is a recreational activity using skis as equipment for traveling over snow. Skis are used in conjunction with boots that connect to the ski with use of a binding....
and other winter sports. A three piste
Piste
A piste is a marked ski run or path down a mountain for snow skiing, snowboarding, or other mountain sports. The term is European, from the French for trail or track, synonymous with trail, slope, or groomed run in North America....
network consisting of Saalbach, Hinterglemm and Leogang is located in the municipality.
Geography
Saalbach-Hinterglemm is located in the Pinzgau region, in the Saalbach Valley, which is oriented east-west. The region is a part of the Kitzbüheler Alpen. The highest point is Spielberghorn (2,044 m) in the north and Hochkogel (2,249 m) in the south.The nearest large city is Zell am See
Zell am See
Zell am See is the capital city of the Zell am See district in the Austrian state of Salzburg. The city has about 10,000 inhabitants.Zell am See is a tourist destination and a transportation hub for the region...
, located about 20 km away. The municipality consists of two small towns: Saalbach and Hinterglemm, which each make up several Katastralgemeinden.
History
The oldest evidence of settlements in the municipality stems from 1222. The name Salpach first showed up in 1350. Before 1410 there was a church in the town. In 1489 archbishopArchbishop
An archbishop is a bishop of higher rank, but not of higher sacramental order above that of the three orders of deacon, priest , and bishop...
Johann Beckensloer
Archbishop of Vienna
The Archbishop of Vienna is the prelate of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Vienna who is concurrently the metropolitan bishop of its ecclesiastical province which includes the dioceses of Eisenstadt, Linz and St. Pölten....
gave the town market rights
Market town
Market town or market right is a legal term, originating in the medieval period, for a European settlement that has the right to host markets, distinguishing it from a village and city...
.
In spite of this, Saalbach remained, for the most part, a poor agrarian community up into the 20th century. A lasting increase in prosperity did not occur until after World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, but started primarily after the tourists began arriving in 1945.
In 1987 Saalbach’s name was changed to Saalbach-Hinterglemm.
Alpine Ski World Championships 1991
From the 22nd of January to February 1991 the Alpine Ski World Championships took place in Saalbach Hinterglemm. It was the biggest international event ever seen by the region with excellent weather conditions helping to make the event a huge success.
It has also been the venue for the British University Snowsports Championships (BUSC) and the British Royal Air Force championships on several occasions with great success.
Coat of arms
The municipality’s coat of arms is described as A red shield with two diagonally-crossed golden skis. They are accompanied by a silver snowflake above them and three silver balls resting on top of each other at the bottom. On top of all this is an undulating silver bar.Tourism
The town of Saalbach is primarily orientated towards tourism, without which it could arguably not survive. Most of the inhabitants' jobs are either directly or indirectly dependent on this industry.Skiing
Saalbach is one of AustriaAustria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
's premier ski resort
Ski resort
A ski resort is a resort developed for skiing and other winter sports. In Europe a ski resort is a town or village in a ski area - a mountainous area, where there are ski trails and supporting services such as hotels and other accommodation, restaurants, equipment rental and a ski lift system...
s, offering a wide range of runs, extensive off piste, and an excellent snow record. Skiing can be found on both sides of the valley. The runs on the north side of the valley (south-facing side) tend to be preferred by visitors due to their sunny weather. The pistes on the south side of the valley (north-facing side) are normally in the shade, so have better snow cover, particularly in late season, as well as more trees. Much of the off piste skiing is found on the north side, where thigh-deep, untouched powder can be found only metres from many of the pistes. There is a small snowpark in Hinterglemm, but experienced snowboarders and skiers prefer to head to the snowpark in the adjacent valley in Leogang, which boasts superior kickers, as well as rails and jibs. Saalbach-Hinterglemm also features 6 and 8-man chairlifts with heated seats and retractable covers for use in bad weather.