Hallstatt 7.09

Hallstatt is a market town in the district of Gmunden, in the Austrian state of Upper Austria. Situated on Hallstätter See, it is part of the Dachstein / Salzkammergut Cultural Landscape, one of the World Heritage Sites in Austria.Hallstatt is known for its production of salt, dating back to prehistoric times, and gave its name to the Hallstatt culture, a culture often linked to Celtic, Proto-Celtic, and pre-Illyrian people of the Early Iron Age Europe, c.800–450 BC. Some of the earliest archaeological evidence for the Celts was found in Hallstatt.GeographySituated between the southwestern shore of Hallstätter See and the steep slopes of the Dachstein massif, the town lies in the geographical region of Salzkammergut region, on the national road linking Salzburg and Graz.Salt was a valuable resource, so the region was historically very wealthy. It is possible to tour the world's first known salt mine named Salzwelten, located above downtown Hallstatt. Today, Hallstatt is a popular tourist destination owing to its small-town appeal and can be toured on foot in ten minutes.HistoryIron AgeIn 1846, Johann Georg Ramsauer (1795–1874) discovered a large prehistoric cemetery near Hallstatt, which he excavated during the second half of the 19th century. Eventually the excavation would yield 1,045 burials, although no settlement has yet been found. This may be covered by the later village, which has long occupied the whole narrow strip between the steep hillsides and the lake.