Wald im Pinzgau
Wald is a community in the Pinzgau area of Salzburg known as a skiing town. It has a total population of approximately 1,200. "Wald" means wood or forest in German; in fact, only about one third of the community comprises of forest, not all that much by Austrian standards. About 48 percent of Austria are covered by woods, especially in hilly and mountainous areas where intensive agriculture is not lucrative.
The origin of the name is obviously from an age when the forest was still a bit more impressive - Wald was first referred to as Wald in a written document from 1160. Today, Wald is a remote skiing and hiking town and within the National Park Hohe Tauern. It forms an association for a skiing area called Zillertal-Hochkrimml-Königsleiten-Gerlos, of which most slopes are on the Tyrolean side of the border.
Skiing & Other Things to do in Wald im Pinzgau
Therefore, visitors are more likely to view Wald as being on the outskirts of the Zillertal and a Tyrolean skiing region of an impressive 155 kilometres of maintained slopes, rather than on the outskirts of the Pinzgau. Those ski lifts most closely to Wald are in the skiing area of Almdorf Königsleiten.
For sightseeing in Wald im Pinzgau, note the parish church from 1469, the chapel Sixtuskapelle at Mount Sonnberg and an associated chapel called Augentrostkapelle. There is a theme hiking path called Planetenwanderweg ("Planet Hiking Path") and a Zeiss planetary in Wald.
Furthermore, there are several references to the mining past of Wald - especially local minerals. Learn more about this in the Fluorit Schaustollen Wald (a show mine) or the Mineralienmuseum (museum of minerals and gemstones). For swimming, note the Kristallbad Wald im Pinzgau, other summer sports can be done at the "Fun Park" sports area. Note the nearby waterfalls of Krimml, the highest in Austria and the biggest attraction in the area when it comes to hiking.
Municipalities of the Pinzgau
Links
Short Information on Wald im Pinzgau
http://www.wald.salzburg.at/
Official Website of Wald im Pinzgau
http://www.wald-koenigsleiten.at/
Tourism Website of the Zillertal Arena area, including Wald
http://www.oberpinzgau.de/
Private Website on the Oberpinzgau area
http://www.salzburgerland.com/eng/
Official Website of the Salzburg province
http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wald_im_Pinzgau
German Wikipedia on Wald im Pinzgau (also for photo reference)
