Tennengau: Where Salzburg′s Alps begin
The term Tennengau is a vernacular name for the administrative district of Hallein, which can be found just south of the city of Salzburg. The Tennengau contains the onset of Salzburg′s alps as well as the "second city" of the province, Hallein. For centuries, the Tennengau was of key-importance for the economy of Salzburg, since is was here where the salt mining took place and where barrels of salt were sent away on the river Salzach.
Later, this economic tradition gave rise to a relatively early industrialisation, which can still be seen in many major industries in the Tennengau. That being said, do not expect towns dominated by vast factories: The Tennengau has plenty of nature to offer. Nevertheless, it is densely populated and not very touristy in comparison to the city of Salzburg or the southern ski resorts of Pinzgau and Pongau.
Population & Tourism in the Tennengau
The Tennengau has a population of approximately 58,000 and a high percentage of foreign residents. This is due to migration, driven mainly by the paper and wood industries of Hallein. In terms of tourism, the Lammertal and the Tennengebirge (a valley and a mountain range, respectively) draw some attention.
Skiing areas exist and are sometimes even quite well-developed, but they are often less "exciting" than the southern ones and attract locals from Salzburg and Upper Austria who come as day-tourists who want to avoid long driving hours. The same thing applies for hiking, even though especially for people that stay in the city of Salzburg, the Tennengau has many extremely rewarding hiking destinations to offer.
To stay on the positive side, the Tennengau is very close to both the mountainous south and the city of Salzburg. Some of Salzburg′s most important attractions, such as the old town of Hallein, the salt mines of the Dürnberg and the Keltenmuseum (Museum of Celtic People) are in the Tennengau. Northern towns like Puch have effectively become suburbs of Salzburg and are well-connected to the capital by public means of transport. There is a polytechnic university (University of Applied Sciences) in Puch, which has added to this "suburbian" character. There is a hot spring and spa at Vigaun.
Villages & Towns of the Tennengau
The Tennengau has only one city (Hallein with approximately 20,000 residents) as well as four market towns (Kuchl, Oberalm, Golling and Abtenau). In addition to these, the Tennengau has several other municipalities: Adnet, Annaberg-Lungötz, Bad Vigaun, Krispl, Puch bei Hallein, Rußbach am Paß Gschütt, Sankt Koloman, Scheffau am Tennengebirge.
Municipalities of the Tennengau
Links
http://www.tennengau.com/
Tourism Website on the Tennengau
http://www.tennengau.at/
Official Tennengau Website
http://www.salzburgerland.com/eng/
Official Website of the Salzburg province
