Eisriesenwelt

The Eisriesenwelt is the largest system of ice caves on our planet.

At the end of the nineteenth century the caves were only known to hunters and poachers.
Only in the 1920's the first primitive climbing routes were established up to the cave and onwards into the interior.
In 1955 a cable-car provided an alternative to the steepest part of the climb (1084 m - 1586m).
The Eisriesenwelt is owned by the National Austrian Forestry Commission.

We visited the cave last summer when we spent two weeks in Austria's beautiful Salzkammergut.

The mouth of the cave is high up in Tennengebirge.

The labyrinth of caves is over 40 km long! We walked about 2 hours!

The next two pictures are borrowed from Eisriesenwelt's homepage.

Here you get an impression of the gigantic ice formations and the large number of steps leading through the cave.

Click on the photo above to see more phantastic pictures on Eisriesenwelt's homepage!
There is also information on the ice in the caves and the cave formation.

From the entrance you can enjoy exciting panoramic views of the Salzach valley when the weather is good.

This is the way down to the cable car station and the Salzach valley.