Katschberg Pass 3.08

Katschberg Pass is a high mountain pass in the Central Eastern Alps in Austria between Rennweg am Katschberg in the state of Carinthia and Sankt Michael im Lungau in Salzburg.GeographyIt connects the Carinthian Katsch Valley in the south with the historic Lungau region of Salzburg (present-day Tamsweg district) and the Mur river in the north, from where the road leads further on to the Radstädter Tauern Pass. The federal state border between Salzburg and Carinthia runs along the top of the pass. Katschberg also separates the Ankogel Group of the Hohe Tauern range in the west from the Nock Mountains, part of the Gurktal Alps, in the east.Parallel to the Katschberg Straße (B 99), which is now a regional highway, since 1974 the Tauern Autobahn crosses the chain through the 5898m long Katschberg Tunnel.HistoryThough the pass was probably already known to the Celtic Taurisci and later was part of a Roman Road from Teurnia to Iuvavum (Salzburg), it was first mentioned in a 1459 deed, then at the border between the Duchy of Carinthia and the Archbishopric of Salzburg. Mail was first sent over the pass in 1764. In 1929, the first restaurant was opened which later became a four-star hotel.