Glocknerhaus

The Glocknerhaus is a historic mountain inn (Berggasthof) situated on the Grossglockner High Alpine Road, just below the former end of the Pasterze Glacier, in the municipality of Heiligenblut am Grossglockner in the Austrian state of Carinthia. It is owned and operated by the Klagenfurt section of the Österreichischer Alpenverein (ÖAV), the Austrian Alpine Club. The house serves as a base for mountaineers, hikers and visitors exploring the Hohe Tauern National Park and the Grossglockner massif, Austria's highest mountain. The Glocknerhaus has its origins in the late 19th century. The Klagenfurt section of the ÖAV, founded on 27 February 1872, was active in the Glockner region and soon considered building a shelter near the Pasterze. Construction began on 16 June 1875, and the shell was completed by the end of August 1875. Funding difficulties were overcome through donations and a lottery with 50,000 tickets, the main prize being a Bösendorfer grand piano. The house opened as a Schutzhaus and quickly became a central access point to the Glockner area from Carinthia. Visitor numbers grew steadily: 1,520 persons in 1881, rising to 2,001 per year after a new road over the Iselsberg was completed in 1885. An extension followed in 1885 under engineer Perl, and another addition in 1886. In 1893 the section decided to build a carriage road to the hut; construction under engineer Teischinger took 13 years and reached the house in 1908. The road was 11.2 km long, mostly 2.5 m wide, with an average gradient of 10%. It was severely damaged in 1917 and only reopened to ordinary vehicles in 1922. The road soon became the biggest attraction of Upper Carinthian tourism, but its maintenance was costly. Tolls were introduced, leading to disputes that ended on 15 May 1931 with the sale of the upper part of the road (Gletscherstraße to Franz-Josefs-Höhe) to the newly founded Großglockner-Hochalpenstraßen AG (GROHAG). The remaining section was offered to GROHAG as an option after completion of the Grossglockner High Alpine Road. After World War I the Glocknerhaus remained closed until 1929. Rising visitor numbers and the completion of the road justified renovation and the addition of a storey in 1926/27. Popularity increased until World War II. After the war, Austria was occupied by four Allied powers; the British occupation authority in Carinthia and Styria confiscated the Glocknerhaus in 1945 and used it until 1948 as the site of the British High Mountain School for Officers. Operations resumed in 1948. Necessary repairs in 1955, when the occupation ended, led to a conversion and expansion. Because previous additions had created an unsatisfactory layout, the house was fundamentally rebuilt by 1964, restoring the Glocknerhaus as a base at the head of the Möll valley. In recent decades, no major structural changes have been made; instead, the focus has been on maintenance and modernization. Today the Glocknerhaus operates as a mountain inn offering food, accommodation and a base for excursions in the Hohe Tauern National Park. It is a listed building and a popular stop along the Grossglockner High Alpine Road, which is one of Austria's most visited excursion destinations.

The Glocknerhaus is a mountain inn (Berggasthof) owned by the Klagenfurt section of the Österreichischer Alpenverein (ÖAV). It stands on the Grossglockner High Alpine Road, somewhat below the former end of the Pasterze Glacier, in the municipality of Heiligenblut am Grossglockner in Carinthia, Austria. Early plans for a shelter in the Glockner area date back to the 19th century. Archduke Johann of Austria had a shelter hut built in the Gamsgrube in 1834, which was replaced in 1870 by the Hofmannshütte. The Klagenfurt section of the ÖAV, founded on 27 February 1872, was initially active mainly in the Glockner region and soon considered building a shelter near the Pasterze. Earlier, the province of Carinthia had wanted to build a house at the Bretterboden (later Elisabethruhe) to commemorate the visit of Emperor Franz Joseph I and Empress Elisabeth on 7 September 1856, but that project never went beyond planning. Construction of the Glocknerhaus began on 16 June 1875. The section faced major difficulties even before that date: the project was very generous for its time, and some investors lacked confidence. Fundraising was initiated and proved very successful. Construction supervision was taken over by Lorenz Wernisch, postmaster from Winklern in the Mölltal. The shell was completed by the end of August 1875, but funds were soon exhausted. The section resorted to an unusual lottery (main prize: a Bösendorfer grand piano); 50,000 tickets were issued, and the building was soon completed. Carinthia thus had a central access point to the Glockner area, while East Tyrol had the Stüdlhütte and Salzburg had the Rauriser Tauernhaus and the Rudolfshütte. Visitor numbers grew rapidly: 1,520 persons in 1881. After six years, enlargement was urgently discussed, but financial problems delayed it until 1885, when the planned extension was carried out under the direction of engineer Perl. In that year a new road over the Iselsberg was completed, allowing even double-span carriages to reach Heiligenblut; the influx to the Glocknerhaus rose to 2,001 persons per year. In 1886 another addition was made. In 1893 the section yielded to growing demand for a carriage road to the hut, for "persons who are unable to use bridle paths to reach the Glocknerhaus." This decision, viewed critically today, led to a road built over 13 years under engineer Teischinger, reaching the hut in 1908. The road was 11.2 km long, 2.5 m wide except for some passing places, with an average gradient of 10%. It was not fully developed; retaining walls and other safety measures still needed improvement. Natural events hampered completion: in 1917 the road above Heiligenblut was almost completely destroyed over 2 km, and it was only reopened for ordinary vehicles in 1922. Notable donors such as the Austrian Automobile Club and the Carinthian Sparkasse, which repeatedly acted as rescuer, helped the builders so that the project could be handed over after more than two decades. The road soon became the greatest attraction of Upper Carinthian tourism. Maintaining the then-undeveloped access proved very difficult even before World War I, especially since the shelter's own revenues had to be used for it. The condition of the Glocknerhaus itself suffered, and expansion and renovation plans were repeatedly postponed. The economic independence of the Glockner road was thus the primary goal of the Klagenfurt section, and the Carinthian provincial government approved a toll for general maintenance of the route. These toll revenues subsequently led various institutions to complain to the Klagenfurt section. This lengthy dispute ended on 15 May 1931 with the sale of the uppermost part of the road (Gletscherstraße to Franz-Josefs-Höhe) to the newly founded Großglockner-Hochalpenstraßen AG (GROHAG). The remaining part of the road was offered to GROHAG as an option after completion of the Grossglockner High Alpine Road. After World War I the Glocknerhaus remained closed until 1929. Rising visitor numbers and the completion of the road justified renovation and the addition of a storey in 1926/27. Thereafter the popularity of the Glocknerhaus increased until World War II. After the war, Austria was occupied by four powers. The British occupation authority in Carinthia and Styria confiscated the Glocknerhaus in 1945 and made it the site of the British High Mountain School for Officers until 1948. Operations resumed in 1948. Necessary repairs in 1955, when the occupation ended, led to a conversion and expansion. The previous multiple conversions and additions had created a functionally unsatisfactory floor plan, so the house was fundamentally rebuilt by 1964. This restored the Glocknerhaus as a base at the head of the Möll valley. In recent decades, no massive structural measures have been undertaken; instead, the focus has been on maintenance and modernization. The Glocknerhaus continues to serve as a mountain inn and base for visitors to the Grossglockner High Alpine Road and the Hohe Tauern National Park.

• 1964

  Fundamental rebuild completed.

• 1955

  Conversion and expansion as occupation ends.

• 1948

  Operations resume.

• 1945

  British occupation authority confiscates the Glocknerhaus; used as British High Mountain School for Officers until 1948.

• 1931

  Sale of the uppermost part of the road to GROHAG on 15 May.

• 1926

  Renovation and addition of a storey (1926/27).

• 1922

  Road reopened for ordinary vehicles.

• 1917

  Road above Heiligenblut almost completely destroyed over 2 km.

• 1908

  Carriage road reaches the Glocknerhaus after 13 years of construction.

• 1893

  Decision to build a carriage road to the hut.

• 1886

  Another addition to the Glocknerhaus.

• 1885

  Extension under engineer Perl; new road over the Iselsberg completed; visitors rise to 2,001 per year.

• 1881

  1,520 visitors recorded.

• 1875

  Construction of the Glocknerhaus begins on 16 June; shell completed by end of August.

• 1872

  Klagenfurt section of the Österreichischer Alpenverein founded on 27 February.

Historic alpine inn and base for mountaineers and tourists, operated by the Austrian Alpine Club.

• Mountain inn services

• Food and beverages

• Accommodation

1. 1Grossglockner High Alpine Road - The excursion destination in Austriagrossglockner.at
2. 2History of the Grossglockner High Alpine Roadgrossglockner.at
3. 3History of Grossglocknergrossglockner.at
4. 4Who we are - the companygrossglockner.at
5. 5Glocknerhaus - Wikidatawikidata.org
6. 6Glocknerhaus (Heiligenblut am Großglockner) - Wikipediade.wikipedia.org