The train stopped at the Hallstatt 'station' which was just a little building by the side of the track. There wasn't anything else around.We loved Hallstatt. It was so beautiful and relaxing. I can't imagine being here in the height of tourist season with the town overrun and crowded with tourists. Visit in the off season and you will fall in love with Hallstatt, too.
We walked down to the ferry dock. It was a rainy day. Hallstatt is the town across the lake.
This was the ferry dock the day we left Hallstatt - bright and sunny.
The 'Stephanie' is the only ferry to Hallstatt.
The Stephanie docked in town.
Hallstatt sits right on the water.
The house we stayed in.
Our room. I was a little put out with Don, as he INSISTED on this house. It was the far end of town from the ferry, so we had to schlep our backpacks through the rain.
We had been a little confused about the listings in the book: Db = double with bath; Ds = Double with shower. All the baths had showers.... Here we discovered what it meant. Ds meant the shower was actually in your room. The toilet was across the hall. Again, I was not happy.
Yep, we were in the topmost room. No balcony on our room this time. But there was one on the second floor for anyone to use.
View from the balcony.
Our Hausfrau, Maria, was really nice. She was young and very energetic. The room was comfortable, despite the bathroom situation. After a short nap, I felt better and wasn't so cranky :)
A lot of new construction going on. The Catholic church sits above the town on one end.
Approaching the church.
The interior was unusual in that it had two alters side by side. From this view, a column seems to divide the space.
In a side alcove.
Next to the church in the graveyard is this little building with a bone chapel on the main floor and a tiny chapel above.
The chapel above.
When bodies were removed from a grave, the remains used to be placed here in this chapel. The family would decorate the skull, but the other bones are just piled up.
The skulls on the bibles belonged to priests.
A shrine in the graveyard.
The church cat.
Back in the day, the Catholic church was built for the rich or royalty. So the townsfolk raised the funds to build their own Protestant Church.
The interior is much plainer.
Little plaques in the pews for those who donated to the building of the church.
Tuesday morning a storm blew in and blanketed the valley with clouds.
Hallstatt has a family of swans.
Various fountains around town run with fresh, cold water for drinking.
This one at the church had a watering can sitting under it for watering the grave gardens.
You can drive to Hallstatt. The road goes through the mountain.
The town square.
Dinner right on the lake.
The town is built up the steep mountainside.
There were a few of these tram systems that the residents use to move loads up to their homes.
The homes on the water front have 'entrances' that actually enter into their attic.
Homes and businesses are built right on and into the rock wall.
A waterfall. The building to the left used to be a mill.
A few streams run through town into the lake.
A little waterwheel for fun.
There isn't much room for trees, so a lot of trees are trained up the sides of the buildings.
Cat ramps.
WWII memorial.
Cobblestones.
A typical German garden in a tiny space.
Edelweiss.
This was the display outside the town museum.
The funicular to the salt mine entrance. I wish we would have gone on the tour, but with the rain and being tired and all, we decided not to go.
This house is marked with the date 1597.
The main road had these shrines along it.
A traditional boat, built for heavy loads.
that place looks awesome; Traci and I would be glad to go back there with you sometime. Seriously.
ReplyDeleteOn a side note, when we went to the bone chapel in Rome, I wondered what that place would be like in the resurrection. Wouldn't it be awesome if it was like the Iron Giant and all the bones just started beeping their signature tone and rhythm and starting grouping together? And what chaos!