Discover Döllach: Gold Mining, Architecture and Trails

Döllach combines the history of gold mining with impressive architecture and a variety of trails. In the municipality of Großkirchheim, 63 percent of the municipal area lies within Hohe Tauern National Park. Those looking for a holiday apartment in Döllach will find a place where historical discoveries, physical activity and the regional landscape can be combined into a range of different daily itineraries.

Following the Trail of Tauern Gold

During the period of gold mining, Döllach was the seat of the mining authorities and the processing centre for gold. This past can be experienced at several special sites. The Kohlbarren has been identified as the zinc works mentioned in historical written sources between 1796 and 1834. At the same time, it is the starting point of a themed trail on historic “Tauern Gold”.

The zinc works in Döllach is one of the most significant industrial monuments in Europe. At the Alte Schmelz, a gold smelter operated during the precious-metal mining era in Großkirchheim. Döllach’s old gold smelter has been revitalised and now houses an event hall. Finds from disused mine adits, including a mine cart and numerous tools, illustrate the history of mining.

Historic Houses and Insights into Earlier Times

The “Putzenhof” mining manor was built by Melchior Putz von Kirchheimegg between approximately 1540 and 1560. In the historic Putzenhof, a mining manor more than 500 years old belonging to the gold prospectors, the “Tauern Gold” exhibition presents gold treasures from times gone by.

The approximately 500-year-old Putzenschlössl, also known as the Bräuhaus or Köberschlössl, has likewise retained its original structure. Old horse stables, the tack room with its packhorse stations and a smithy provide an insight into the lives of the medieval packhorse drivers. They mainly transported wine and salt between Gemona and Salzburg across the Tauern ridge. Schloss and Schlössl Großkirchheim are first mentioned in a document dating from 1140/50.

The Church of St Andrew, a Late Gothic building, also stands in the centre of Döllach. For travellers interested in culture, this creates an itinerary that combines historic buildings, the history of mining and the local history of the region.

Trails and Active Days on Holiday

The Apriach Church Trail leads through a well-maintained cultural landscape with farmsteads, wayside shrines and meadows towards Döllach, followed by a short descent into the village centre. Those who prefer to plan a longer cycling tour can consider the 80 km Glockner Cycle Route R8. It runs from Heiligenblut via Großkirchheim to Möllbrücke.

For a change of pace on warm days, the open-air swimming pool has a bathing area of 1,200 m². Another documented point of interest is the shooting tunnel with four shooting ranges, electronic shot recording and a shooting distance of up to 300 m. The various options make it possible to balance cultural visits, trails and active pursuits according to individual travel interests.

Which Accommodation Suits Your Itinerary?

For a trip with cycling stages or walking routes, you can compare your planned activities with the location of the holiday apartment at an early stage.

You can find other places in the same higher-level selection under Aschbach, Eisentratten, Flattach, Pattendorf, Irschen, Pesenthein, Pfaffenberg and Penk.

To the higher-level travel overview: Spittal An Der Drau.