PillerseeTal - Fieberbrunn - Sommer - Ortsansicht

Village hike Fieberbrunn

From mining to tourism - origin story of the town

Fieberbrunn is generally considered as a major tourist town with a well-developed economy and an interesting history, which has been shaped by mining and highly-frequented mineral springs. In addition to this, the town also has a special cultural landscape. Those who walk the elongated, densely-populated valley floors, the villages in their picturesque locations, and the widely scattered mountain farms with open eyes, will encounter evidence of this art and folklore time and time again. (Chronicle: Franz Caramelle, Fieberbrunn - Geschichte einer Tiroler Marktgemeinde) Today the largest town in the PillerseeTal, is a diverse tourist resort in both winter and summer. Fieberbrunn is part of the Skicircus Saalbach Hinterglemm Leogang Fieberbrunn and thus a place of entry to Austria's coolest ski resort. In summer, the region surrounding the “all-rounder mountain”, the Wildseeloder, with its hiking trails, via ferrata, cycling routes and the family-favourite mountain adventure world, Timok’s Wild World, offers an exciting programme.

  • PillerseeTal - Fieberbrunn - village tour
    Village tour through Fieberbrunn - leisurely walk to the town's places of interest, which simply shouldn't be missed.
  • PillerseeTal - Fieberbrunn - village tour
    Village tour through Fieberbrunn - leisurely walk to the town's places of interest, which simply shouldn't be missed.
  • PillerseeTal - Fieberbrunn - village tour
    Village tour through Fieberbrunn - leisurely walk to the town's places of interest, which simply shouldn't be missed.
  • PillerseeTal - Fieberbrunn - fountains - Margarethe Maultasch
    Fountains at Kirchbühel in Fieberbrunn - the water is said to have healing effects and was first mentioned in 1455.
  • PillerseeTal - Fieberbrunn - summer - Local view with the Spielberg
    Parish church of Fieberbrunn with a view of the Spielberg in summer
  • PillerseeTal - Fieberbrunn - village tour
    Village tour through Fieberbrunn - leisurely walk to the town's places of interest, which simply shouldn't be missed.

Data & Facts

  • checkTown: Fieberbrunn

  • checkStarting point: Village Centre

  • checkCar Parks: village centre - gravel car park (free of charge)

  • checkDifficulty level: easy

  • checkWalking time: approx. 1 hour

  • checkChild- and family-friendly: Yes

  • checkAccessible with pushchairs: Yes

Restaurants

Bar/Cafe Castello

Bar/Cafe Castello
Bar/Cafe Castello
4,7
starstarstarstarstar
(168)
Open todayFieberbrunn
favorite_borderfavorite

Hotel Alte Post

Hotel Alte Post
Hotel Alte Post
4,5
starstarstarstarstar
(556)
Fieberbrunn
favorite_borderfavorite

The Stops at a glance

➀ Johanneskapelle

➀ Johanneskapelle

Johannes von Nepomuk was one of the most popular saints in the 18th Century and was, among other things, the patron saint of water hazards. The huge sudden “water gushes” and damages, that frequently occurred, especially in the year 1759 had prompted Simon Millinger and other founders, to establish this chapel in honour of the saint Johannes von Nepomuk. In 1787 the chapel was closed by the state and shortly after, it was flushed out by flood waters, sweeping half away. Only three walls remained standing. And so Simon Millinger got back to work! The Johannes Kapelle is one of the most important Rococo chapels in Tyrol in terms of both its architectural design and its artistic furnishings (frescoes by the prominent Rococo painter Matthäus Günther). The towerless chapel consists of a two-aisled long house with a saddle roof and a curved façade gable. The double-leaf wooden doors lead you to the interior, which is surprising due to its brightness. Stucco moldings, stucco decorations and fresco tiles display the greatest artistic decoration of the chapel - a large nave fresco, which depicts the saint Johannes von Nepomuk in heaven.
(Chronicle: Fieberbrunn – Geschichte einer Tiroler Marktgemeinde)
➁ The Fieberbrunner Ache

➁ The Fieberbrunner Ache

The Fieberbrunner Ache, named the "Schwarzache“ in the upper course, is a right-hand tributary of the "Großache“ in the Kitzbühel region, with a length of around 27 km. The Schwarzache springs from the northern slope of the Spieleckkogel mountain in the Kitzbühel Alps in the municipality of Aurach bei Kitzbühel. It then flows in a north-easterly direction through the Hörndlinger Graben, turns north and wraps around the Wildseeloder massif in a wide arc. It flows through Fieberbrunn and empties into the Großache in St. Johann in Tirol.
➂ Historic railway line "Tyrol & Salzburg"

➂ Historic railway line "Tyrol & Salzburg"

The Salzburg-Tyrol Railway is the only East-West railway link, which runs entirely on Austrian territory. The fact, that there is no motorway connection between the federal states of Salzburg and Tyrol on the Austrian territory, gave the stretch great importance. It is known as the "Gisela railway” (after the second daughter of Kaiser Franz Joseph I. and his wife Elisabeth of Austria-Hungary, Archduchess Gisela Louise Marie of Austria). The Salzburg-Tyrol railway was constructed from 1873 to 1875 and goes from Salzburg via Bischofshofen, Zell am See, Hochfilzen, Fieberbrunn, St. Johann in Tirol and Kitzbühel to Wörgl. In 1915 the Salzburg-Tyrol railway was extended to a double-track. In 1925, the electrification of the stretch began, which was completed in 1930. Towards the end of the Second World War, the Salzburg-Tyrol railway line was the target of Allied bombings due to its strategic importance. Today, the stretch is especially relevant in regional transport, as part of the connection from Innsbruck to Klagenfurt and Graz.
➃ Viewpoint: Wildseeloder area - Tourism then and now

➃ Viewpoint: Wildseeloder area - Tourism then and now

The area around the summits of the Wildseeloder (2,118 m) and the Henne (2,078 m) guarantees mountain adventures of a different nature. After the founding of the first Improvement Society in Fieberbrunn, advertising for the beauty spot was released as early as 1889, during a presentation: A new tourist destination, Fieberbrunn, with the Wildalpsee and a mountain called “Loder” was captivating. The excellent location as a panoramic mountain, the mountaineering opportunities and the health benefits of the mineral spring in the town were just right for the time of blossoming alpinism! (Chronicle: Fieberbrunn – Geschichte einer Tiroler Marktgemeinde)

Today the Wildseeloder is a true “all-rounder mountain”!
Thanks to the development of 2 sections of the Bergbahnen Fieberbrunn, the area is also easy for families and pleasure hikers to reach in the summer. Timok's Wild World is an adventure playground with an alpine coaster, low ropes course and climbing park right next to the Streuböden mid-station. From Lärchfilzkogel, hike towards Wildseeloderhaus and the Wildseeloder summit, take a leisurely stroll down towards the Lärchfiilzhochalm or head to the starting points of the diverse via ferrata below the “Henne” and “Marokka”. The legendary Wildlodersee, has a deep blue-black colour, and lies embedded between the peaks of the Wildseeloder and the Henne. According to the legend, herdsman were living in sacrilege and excess and were punished by a flood. Far below in the Hörndlinger Graben you can still hear the call of the drowned at a small waterfall – the “Screaming fountain”. In the small rowing boat, which is located on the jetty, you can really discover every corner of the lake by taking a tour! In winter, the area around the Wildseeloder is your entry point to Austria's coolest ski resort, the Skicircus Saalbach Hinterglemm Leogang Fieberbrunn!
➄ Viewpoint: Pletzergraben - historic mining and present-day hiking region

➄ Viewpoint: Pletzergraben - historic mining and present-day hiking region

The prerequisites for mining at that time were geological conditions. Fieberbrunn lies in the border area of the Limestone Alps up to the Greywacke zone. The mining of iron was of economic importance for a long time. The most important mines “Gebra” and “Lannern” were located below the Großen Gebras (2,057m). The Fieberbrunn lodge supplied the cast iron for the Pillersee steel, which was produced there and was highly regarded! The life of the miners was burdensome and dangerous! Separated into different groups (keepers, ore cutters, pit keepers, ...), it was then exactly determined, who had to work for how long. An incident in the year 1875, shows how dangerous the miner's life could be: In this year, iron was still being mined and there was room for up to 80 miners in the houses near the mine.

It was Monday 19th December 1875, when 54 miners made their usual way through the Pletzergraben to their workplace. Suddenly the “sleeping lioness” (=avalanche) was awoken and buried half of the men. Miraculously, many of the men were able to free themselves, the others were pulled out of the snow by their comrades. They continued on their way, in order to reach the miner's house before noon. Among them was the 17 year-old, Jodok Stöckl. It was extremely difficult for him to recover and it seemed like he wouldn't make it to Christmas Eve. Snowstorms set in and everyone was at their wit's end about how to take the boy to the town's doctor. Two miners declared their willingness, to take the young man to the valley despite a further danger of avalanches. Jakob’s fever provoked imaginative outbursts and fears of death at the same time. Located halfway, there is still a place in Pletzergraben today, that people call “God”! Jodok Stöckl was saved thanks to the bravery of his mining comrades in the most adverse conditions!

In mining, gunpowder was also required. With the use of black powder the tedious shredding work was relieved or at least sped up. Through the generations the Edenhauser family dealt with this job. Their powder-making mill was located in the village of Weißach. Today, the farm name “Pulvermacher” (powder makers) still exists in the Millinger family. (Chronicle: Fieberbrunn - Geschichte einer Tiroler Marktgemeinde u. Wolfgang Schwaige)

Today, a forest road along the Pletzerbach makes this hiking and cycling area accessible up until the “Herrgott bridge” and further into the valley. The summits of the Gebra and Karstein are among the most popular tours and provide an insight into the mining industry at that time. The St. Daniel chapel below the Gebra was originally a Baroque miner's chapel in the former mining area of Fieberbrunn. In 1975 the old, dilapidated chapel was rebuilt as a memorial. Once every summer, a mountain mass is held at the chapel.
➅ Viewpoint: Buchensteinwand with the Jakobskreuz

➅ Viewpoint: Buchensteinwand with the Jakobskreuz

The Buchensteinwand is surrounded by the towns Fieberbrunn, Hochfilzen, St. Ulrich am Pillersee and St. Jakob in Haus and can be hiked to from all angles. The sign-posted hiking routes and a mountain bike track lead directly to the panoramic mountain in the middle of the PillerseeTal. You can reach the summit quite easily with the chairlift, the Bergbahn Pillersee. The summit of the Buchensteinwand is located in the district of St. Jakob in Haus, the Jakobsweg starts from down in the valley, and on the plateau of the Buchensteinwand a distinctive regional highlight awaits: the 30-metre-high, completely accessible Jakobskreuz! Look-out points and panoramic terraces provide breathtaking panoramic views and exhibitions regularly grace the interior area of the cross. The Buchensteinwand and the Jakobskreuz are not just popular tourist destinations in summer. In winter, the slopes are a special family ski area and the signposted routes are a safe ascent option for ski tourer!
➆ Fieberbrunn Parish Church

➆ Fieberbrunn Parish Church

In 1446, the church at the Fieberbrunnen became a new central point, from which the further development of the village and its own community began. On 17th July 1446, the consecration of the house of God in honour of the Saints Primus and Felician took place. Renovations to the exterior of the church in the summer of 1978, showed that the church was built from scratch in 1689.
The Rectory (Parish church)

The Rectory (Parish church)

The parish archives reported as early as 1643 about the construction of a rectory, which fell victim to a fire in 1767. The construction of the current rectory was likely to have started that same year. With its striking proportions and the architectural forms, which deviates from the architectural style of other houses, the Fieberbrunn rectory is one of the most distinctive buildings in the village and together with the parish church forms an ensemble of monuments, which have huge cultural importance. (Chronicle: Fieberbrunn – Geschichte einer Tiroler Marktgemeinde und Wolfgang Schwaiger)
➇ Resting spot "Parish Church"

➇ Resting spot "Parish Church"

From here you have a quite spectacular view of the village centre. The Wildseeloder is in the background, the Buchensteinwand in front of it, and immediately along the footpath there are two significant Fieberbrunn highlights: the Fieberbrunn fountain and the statue of a miner!
➈ The Fieberbrunn fountain

➈ The Fieberbrunn fountain

According to the tale, the princess of the province of Tyrol Margarethe Maultasch was healed from a fever by the curing water. Thereafter, she had the source surrounded by a wall and from that moment onwards the town was called “Fieberbrunn”. Later on, the Fieberbrunn fountain is said to have also successfully healed the princess Claudia von Medici (1604-1648).
➉ Old miner with an ore yield

➉ Old miner with an ore yield

Built in 1995 by the market town of Fieberbrunn, in commemoration of the mining of iron, lead, copper and dyes from the Middle Ages to the 20th Century, as well as the magnetite mining in our time. (Sculptor: Horst Mayr Hochfilzen)

Further tour recommendations

Weitentalweg

WeitentalwegEasy
Weitentalwegaccess_time2:00 harrow_right_alt6,5 kmfavorite_borderfavorite

Bienenlehrpfad

BienenlehrpfadEasy
Bienenlehrpfadaccess_time0:25 harrow_right_alt0,5 kmfavorite_borderfavorite

Jakobsweg

JakobswegEasy
Jakobswegaccess_time10:00 harrow_right_alt24,9 kmfavorite_borderfavorite

Teufelsklamm

TeufelsklammEasy
Teufelsklammaccess_time0:25 harrow_right_alt0,6 kmfavorite_borderfavorite

Weather Forecast

    Today 2024-12-04

  • light snow shower, mainly cloudy
  • ac_unitMin.-2 °C
  • wb_sunnyMax.2 °C
  • opacityPrecipitation80 % (4.5 mm)
  • flagWindNord 5 km/h
  • flash_onThunderstorm risk0 %

    Tomorrow 2024-12-05

  • sunny
  • ac_unitMin.-6 °C
  • wb_sunnyMax.1 °C
  • opacityPrecipitation50 % (1.8 mm)
  • flagWindSuedwest 5 km/h
  • flash_onThunderstorm risk0 %

    Tomorrow 2024-12-06

  • thick clouds, some rain
  • ac_unitMin.-5 °C
  • wb_sunnyMax.3 °C
  • opacityPrecipitation75 % (4.6 mm)
  • flagWindSued 10 km/h
  • flash_onThunderstorm risk0 %

    Tomorrow 2024-12-07

  • thick clouds, some rain
  • ac_unitMin.-1 °C
  • wb_sunnyMax.5 °C
  • opacityPrecipitation80 % (20.1 mm)
  • flagWindSued 10 km/h
  • flash_onThunderstorm risk0 %