Hüttenberg

The person responsible is Heinrich Harrer, born in Hüttenberg, who was a famous mountaineer (first person to climb the north wall of the Eiger), explorer and paternal friend of the Dalai Lama. His book “Seven Years in Tibet” was even filmed with Brad Pitt in the main role.

You can gain an impression of the life of Heinrich Harrer in the museum of the same name in Hüttenberg. There is an eye-catching lingkor, a Buddhist pilgrim path, in the nearby rock wall. Since 2008 there has been an International Institute of Higher Tibetan Studies in Hüttenberg.

Hüttenberg was once a mining centre, and all sorts of articles can be found which still testify to this chapter of the municipality’s history: parts of old furnaces, equipment, and a show mine, where visitors can find out all about the mining for iron which was discontinued in 1978. Also worth seeing are the Mining Museum and the Heft Open-air Museum, one of the largest historical 19th century ironworks in Europe.

The Hüttenberg Reiftanz dance that takes place every three years on the Sunday after Whitsun is a special date in the Carinthian traditional calendar, and was formerly intended to give the miners happiness and health.