Liezen in the Steiermark: Styrian Industries
on the edge of the Salzkammergut
The Styrian market town of Liezen itself is not particularly interesting for visitors, at least not for international ones. It is the commercial and administrative centre of the region west of the Dachstein area, home to some 7,000 people and makes a good starting point for excursions to the Styrian parts of the Salzkammergut as well as for Admont.
The visitors that are attracted to Liezen usually come for the "Internationaler Wettbewerb für Violincello", a music competition. The event takes place every other year and attracts more than 100 performing artists from all over the world. Friends of musical things also come for the sake of the "Liezener Musikfrühling", a festival with a rather peculiar mix of Jazz, German entertainment songs ("Schlager") and Classical Music. Other music performances take place in the local "Ennstalhalle" conference centre and the Kulturhaus throughout the year.
Liezen occupies a prominent position in the Enns River Valley and therefore, as always played a crucial role in trade and transportation. Several "East-West" routes of major railways and roads between Graz and Salzburg still run through Liezen. Due to its strong links with trade and industries, Liezen is a die-hard bastion of the Styrian social democrats.
Good Base for Salzkammergut Day-Trips
The fact that most visitors use Liezen as a stop-over destination doesn′t mean that the town itself is ugly. Actually, there are several scenic spots worth checking out: Have a look at the parish church with an onion dome. The Rathaus is - like in many towns and cities of Austria - among the most prominent buildings. And once you climb some of the hills that surround Liezen, you will be able to enjoy some scenery. For hiking, the nearby Mount Grimming is quite a landmark.
If you are interested in Liezen, it is likely that you will travel along the Enns River Valley - which is very scenic anywhere between Admont and Schladming. Golf aficionados will enjoy the golf course of Liezen and Weißenbach and fishing as well as hunting are common practices in the Enns valley. Attractions near Liezen are rather sparse, so expect to drive for a while until you get to places such as Bad Aussee and the Salzkammergut; or Eisenerz and Leoben.
Back to: "Styria
Sightseeing Guide"
Sightseeing by Austrian Province
Bregenz and Vorarlberg - Innsbruck and Tyrol - Salzburg - Salzkammergut - Graz and Styria - Klagenfurt and Carinthia - Wachau and Lower Austria - Vienna - Burgenland
