Gästehaus Obwexer
Matrei in Osttirol - Rauterplatz 6
Book now
Großglockner is Austria’s highest mountain at 3,798 metres above sea level, a majestic rock pyramid that dominates the Hohe Tauern National Park and is the country’s Alpine symbol par excellence. This legendary peak, located on the border between Carinthia and Salzburg, attracts mountaineers from all over the world because of its historic first ascent in 1800 and its technical challenge, which is still one of the most coveted climbs in the Eastern Alps.
The Großglockner Hochalpenstrasse, Austria’s most famous alpine road, allows visitors to approach the mountain via a 48-kilometre panoramic route that is considered one of the world’s masterpieces of road engineering. Built in the 1930s, this road snakes its way up to an altitude of 2,571 metres, offering 36 spectacular curves and breathtaking views of the Pasterze, the largest glacier in eastern Austria, and more than 37 peaks over 3,000 metres.
The Großglockner massif is surrounded by an extraordinary alpine ecosystem that is home to ibexes, chamois, golden eagles and over 1,500 different plant species, many of them endemic to the Eastern Alps. The north and east faces of the mountain are home to some of the most technical and challenging mountaineering routes in the Alps, while the historic alpine huts provide base camps for experienced climbers and hikers.
The mountain represents not only a sporting challenge but also a cultural symbol deeply rooted in Austrian identity, depicted on the 1 euro cent coin and celebrated in numerous literary and artistic works extolling its majesty and timeless Alpine charm.
The Großglockner offers an extraordinary natural and mountaineering heritage, where each attraction tells the geological history of the Alps and the evolution of modern mountaineering. From the modern tourist infrastructure to the most challenging trails, every experience allows you to get up close and personal with this legendary mountain.
The Großglockner Hochalpenstrasse is considered the most beautiful panoramic road in the world, a 48-kilometre engineering masterpiece that connects Bruck an der Großglocknerstrasse in Salzburg with Heiligenblut in Carinthia, reaching a maximum altitude of 2,571 metres at the Hochtor Pass. Built between 1930 and 1935 using pioneering techniques, the road crosses the Hohe Tauern National Park offering access to alpine landscapes otherwise reserved for experienced mountaineers.
The route includes 36 spectacular hairpin bends, 6 tunnels carved into the living rock and 5 viewpoints equipped with observation platforms, panoramic restaurants and visitor centres. The Kaiser-Franz-Josefs-Höhe at 2,369 metres is the highlight of the trip, offering a frontal view of the Großglockner and the Pasterze glacier stretching 8 kilometres. The road is open from May to October, with tolls contributing to the maintenance of the infrastructure and the preservation of the national park, welcoming over 900,000 visitors per year.
The Kaiser-Franz-Josefs-Höhe Visitor Centre is an ultra-modern structure built at an altitude of 2,369 metres, considered one of the most advanced alpine interpretation centres in Europe. The building, designed to withstand the extreme weather conditions of the high mountains, houses multimedia exhibitions on the geology of the Alps, the fauna of the national park and the history of mountaineering on the Großglockner.
The viewing terrace offers a 360-degree view from the Großglockner to the Kitzsteinhorn, from the Dolomites to the Swiss Alps, with interpretation panels identifying more than 150 visible peaks. The centre organises scientific conferences with glaciologists and biologists, photographic exhibitions on alpine nature and screenings of mountain documentaries. The panoramic restaurant serves regional cuisine using local products, while the specialised shop offers mountain guides, technical cartography and high mountain equipment. During the summer, the centre coordinates guided glacier tours with certified mountain guides.
The Pasterze Glacier is the largest glacier in eastern Austria, extending 8.4 kilometres from the base of the Großglockner up to an altitude of 2,100 metres. This ice giant, up to 120 metres thick, is a natural laboratory for the study of climate change, clearly showing the effects of global warming with an annual retreat of about 20 metres in recent decades.
The Gletscherbahn cable car, in operation from May to September, takes visitors from the Kaiser-Franz-Josefs-Höhe visitor centre to the front of the glacier in just four minutes, allowing them to walk directly on the glacial moraine and observe the seracs and crevasses that characterise this extreme environment up close. The 1.5-kilometre glacier path, equipped with footbridges and information points, illustrates the formation of the glacier and the evolution of the Alpine landscape. The glaciological observatory constantly monitors the health of the Pasterze, providing valuable scientific data for international climate research.
The Erzherzog-Johann-Hütte is located at an altitude of 3,454 metres on the Adlersruhe, making it the highest mountain hut in Austria and the traditional base for the ascent to the summit of the Großglockner. Built in 1880 and completely renovated in 2015, this high-altitude Alpine hut offers 52 beds in spartan but comfortable dormitories, equipped with geothermal heating and air purification systems for altitude acclimatisation.
The hut can only be reached on foot via a challenging 6-hour mountaineering trail from the valley, which requires high mountain experience and technical equipment to traverse glacial sections and exposed rock passages. The hut kitchen prepares energetic meals designed for mountaineers, using ingredients transported to altitude by helicopter during the short summer season. The hut houses a historical register with the signatures of famous mountaineers and has a weather station that provides accurate forecasts for ascents. The viewing terrace at 3,454 metres offers one of the most spectacular views of the Eastern Alps.
Heiligenblut is a picturesque village of 1,100 inhabitants located at an altitude of 1,291 metres at the foot of the Großglockner, famous for its St. Vincent Church with its Gothic steeple, which creates one of the most photographed postcards in Austria. The 15th century church houses a relic of the Blood of Christ that gave the village its name and is an important Alpine pilgrimage site.
The historical centre of Heiligenblut perfectly maintains the traditional alpine architecture, with stone and wooden houses with characteristic sloping roofs and flower-decked balconies. The village is home to the National Park Museum, which documents the flora, fauna and geology of the Hohe Tauern through nature dioramas and scientific collections. Heiligenblut is the starting point for the normal ascent route to the Großglockner, a technical two-day route that requires mountaineering experience and crosses the Pasterze Glacier and the rock faces of Austria’s highest mountain.
The Hohe Tauern National Park covers an area of 1,856 square kilometres between Carinthia, Salzburg and East Tyrol, making it the largest protected area in the Alps and the second largest national park in Europe. Established in 1981, this nature sanctuary protects an extraordinary Alpine ecosystem that includes 266 peaks over 3,000 metres, 342 glaciers and more than 1,800 different plant species.
The park is home to the largest population of ibex in the Eastern Alps, over 10,000 chamois, golden eagles, bearded vultures and the rare ptarmigan. The nature trails stretch over 4,000 kilometres through all the alpine environments, from the valley floors with fir and larch forests to the glacial peaks over 3,500 metres. The park coordinates international scientific research programmes on climate change and organises training courses for mountain guides and naturalists. During the summer, specialised rangers lead free excursions to explain the secrets of Alpine biodiversity and the importance of environmental conservation.
Heiligenblut is the main choice for those wishing to stay at the foot of the Großglockner, with traditional alpine hotels and family-run guesthouses offering regional cuisine and mountaineering services. This location provides direct access to the mountain approach trails and concentrates specialised services such as mountain guides, equipment rental and weather stations.
Fusch an der Großglocknerstraße, on the Salzburg side, offers more modern and spacious accommodation in tourist facilities that combine alpine comfort with wellness services. The traditional huts in this area are ideal for families wishing to explore the scenic route without the technical commitment of mountaineering.
Kaprun, 25 kilometres away, offers luxury hotels with panoramic spas and direct access to the Kitzsteinhorn ski lifts, perfect for those who combine a visit to the Großglockner with an active holiday and spa relaxation.
Großglockner is accessible via the Großglockner Hochalpenstraße from two main access routes: from the north via Fusch an der Großglocknerstraße in Salzburg, which can be reached from Salzburg in 90 minutes via the A10 Tauernautobahn, and from the south via Heiligenblut in Carinthia, 150 kilometres from Klagenfurt. The alpine road is toll-free and open from May to October, with opening times from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. Public transport includes panorama buses from Zell am See and Lienz during the summer, while the nearest airport is Salzburg (120 kilometres).
Großglockner is located on the border between Carinthia and Salzburg, in the heart of the Hohe Tauern National Park, 150 kilometres from Salzburg and 180 kilometres from Klagenfurt.
Hotel 
Budget accommodations 
Apartments 
Family Hotel 
Luxury Hotel