03.05.2022

Bigger, higher, faster! Summer Records in Austria #realAustria

From the highest waterfall to the largest urban wine region. Austria's summer regions hold several world records. Have a look!

The highest mountain, the longest river, the deepest lake, the oldest zoo, and the largest urban wine region - Austria holds a great number of European and even world records. From Tirol to Vienna, check out Alpine and city attractions of all nine federal states to put on your Austrian summer bucket list.
 

LAKES IN AUSTRIA

Total number                         25.000 (larger than 250 m2)
Largest lake                          Neusiedler See, Burgenland (320 km2)
Smallest lake                        Toplitsee, Styria (0,54 km2)
Warmest lake                        Klopeinersee, Carinthia (up to 28°C)
Coldest lake                          Körbersee, Vorarlberg (max. 14°C)
Deepest lake                         Traunsee, Upper Austria (max. 191 m)
Shallowest lake                    Neusiedler See, Burgenland (1 m on average)


RIVERS IN AUSTRIA

Total length                           ca. 100,000 km
Longest river                         Danube, Upper and Lower Austria, Vienna (350 km)


MOUNTAINS IN AUSTRIA

Highest mountain                Großglockner, Tirol and Carinthia (3,798 m)

Largest national park          Hohe Tauern Nationalpark (almost 2,000 km)


TIROL

The world’s largest Alpine Zoo
Alpenzoo Innsbruck celebrates its 60th anniversary this year. It is home to more Alpine animals’ species than any other zoo in the world. Get up close with mammals, reptiles, birds, and a lot more, including a pet zoo for children. 

Austria’s highest village
Obergurgl in Ötztal valley is 1,930 m above sea level. Its 4,000 habitants officially live in the highest village in Austria.

Highest monastery in Central Europe
Located at 1,638 m in Wipptal valley near Innsbruck, Maria Waldrast is the highest monastery in Central Europe. Today, it houses a modern holiday retreat and restaurant both famous for its breath-taking surroundings and healing water (“Marienwasser”).


SALZBURGERLAND

Europe’s largest open inclined elevator
The Lärchenwand elevator near Kaprun is Europe’s largest open inclined elevator and has the largest track width of a passenger rail vehicle in the world. Built in 1941, it whisks visitors up the fjord-like high-water reservoirs at 2,040 m, generating power for the whole region.

The world’s largest ice cave
The World of the Ice Giants near Werfen in the Tennengebirge mountains is the world’s largest ice cave. Visitors can explore parts of the 42 km long labyrinth-style paths during a one-hour tour.

Europe’s highest waterfalls
One of the world’s most impressive water spectacles, the water rushes down no less than 380 m at the Krimmler Waterfalls. The water’s particularly small aerosols are said to improve your health when suffering from asthma or other lung diseases.


UPPER AUSTRIA

The world’s oldest salt mine
In Hallstatt in the Salzkammergut region, visitors can explore Salzwelten, the oldest salt mine in the world, and learn more about salt production and trade in earlier times. As a bonus, they can slide down the longest miner’s slide in Europe.

Austria’s first “Star Park”
Opened in 2021 and recognised by the International Dark Sky Association, Austria’s first and only “Star Park” between Lake Attersee and Traunsee aims to protect the natural night landscape from light pollution – the perfect place for star gazing.

The only Museum of the Future
Train self-driving cars, programme robots and process your own DNA: The Ars Electronica Center in Linz allows visitors to experience how new technologies, in particular artificial intelligence, will change our lives.


CARINTHIA

Austria’s tallest dam
Austria’s highest hydroelectric power station is located 1,933 m above sea level in a striking mountain setting. The Kölnbreinsperre, 200 m high and 626 wide, is the country’s tallest dam. Tours including a 4D cinema make it accessible for visitors.

The world’s tallest wooden observation tower
The observation tower on the Pyramidenkogel mountain near Maria Wörth am Wörthersee is 100 m high with the viewing platform at 70 m. It also has the highest building slide in Europe, where visitors can whisk down 52 m at up to 30 km/h.

Europe’s longest Flow-Trail
With a length of 15 km, Bad Kleinkirchheim’s flow trail is the longest of its kind in Europe. Mountain bikers are challenged to overcome 1,000 m in altitude when riding downhill.


STYRIA

The world’s largest stalactite
In the Lurgrotte cave, limestone has formed magical works of art over millions of years. Check them out on a tour and see the world’s largest free-hanging stalactite.

Austria’s longest gorge
Crystal-clear water, romantic footbridges and steep rocks await at the Raabklamm in Styria, with 17 km in length Austria’s longest gorge.

The world’s largest monastery library
Admont Abbey has a collection of 200,000 books, 70,000 of them are housed in the library hall, dating back to 1776. It is 70 m long, 14 m wide and 13 m high, making it the largest monastery library in the world.


VIENNA

The world’s oldest zoo

Vienna’s Zoo – part of the UNESCO World Cultural Heritage site Schönbrunn Palace – dates to 1752, with the first giraffe arriving in 1828. Today it is home to around 480 different animal species and one of Vienna's top attractions.

Europe’s largest urban wine region
Vienna has roughly 180 vineyards, spreading over an area of around 622 hectares. This makes it Europe’s only capital city with significant wine production.

One of Europe’s oldest cemeteries
Vienna’s Central Cemetery extends over around 2,5 km2 and was considered the largest cemetery in Europe when it opened in 1874. Today, London and Hamburg have larger ones, but Vienna’s cemetery is still well worth visiting thanks to all its celebrity graves.


VORARLBERG

Austria’s only Women’s Museum
The Women's Museum – the only one of its kind in the country and one of the few in the world in a rural area - is located in Hittisau, Bregenzerwald. It opened its doors in 2000 and features changing exhibitions on women’s issues.

The narrowest house in Europe
The façade of this building at Kirchstraße 29 in Bregenz is only 57 cm wide. Inside, it has a living space of 60 m2. It houses a gallery, so, you can actually visit it!

The largest floating stage in the world
The Bregenz Festival hosts opera performances every summer for almost 7,000 spectators per night – a European record!


LOWER AUSTRIA

Austria’s largest historic wine cellar
Hidden underneath Retz in the Weinviertel region, a 20 km labyrinth of wine cellars await. The guided tours are packed with interesting facts and there’s wine tasting, too. 

Austria’s oldest nature park
The Sparback Nature Park in the heart of the Föhr Mountains dates to 1962 and is packed with giant trees, romantic ruins, meadows, forests, and freely living wild boars.

Europe’s largest underground lake
The Seegrotte Hinterbrühl show mine features magical tunnels, a mine, museum, and Europe’s largest underground lake (6,200 m2), which can be explored by boat.


BURGENLAND

Austria’s largest indoor slide
The Sonnentherme Lutzmannsburg houses Austria’s XXL Monster Ride, a 270 m long slide. Another highlight is the 202 m long Space Twister, the longest virtual reality water slide.

Austria’s largest lake
Taking into consideration its surface area in the country, Lake Neusiedler See (320 km2), which partly spreads to Hungary, is Austria’s largest lake.

The lowest point in Austria
Apetlon near Lake Neusiedler See is only 120 m above sea levels on average. The lowest measured point is 114 m.

 

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