Ossiach & Lake Ossiachersee:
Carinthia at its best for tourism
Given that Carinthia is famous for the
great outdoors rather than sightseeing attractions, the market town of Ossiach has at least a proper
monastery to offer. Situated by one of the province's main lakes, Lake Ossiach, the town of the same name has a mere
750 residents that seem to be outnumbered by the water-sport keen crowds that populate it during summer.
The main attraction of Ossiach is the former monastery and its church, first built in Romanesque style around 1000 AD. It is considered to be the
oldest monastic church of Carinthia. A later church, however, was built in Gothic style in the late
15th century – before the current church was built in heavy Baroque style until
1746. So you see that the whole claim of “oldest monastic…” is a bit dodgy.
Anyway, the monastery was dissolved under the rule of
Emperor Joseph II in 1783 and today, the facilities serve as parish church or exhibition and conference venue. There is
more information on Ossiach Monastery available in my article on the
monasteries of Carinthia.
Every August, conveniently coinciding with the peak of the tourism season, an international
handicraft fair is held (“Kunsthandwerksmarkt”). Materials admitted include clay, wood, glass and various fabrics such as wool or plant materials. Beyond that, Ossiach provides good facilities for water sports. Following the
shore of the lake, you will find a series of small villages that are all notably tourism-friendly – which didn’t really add to their natural appeal.
Attractions around Lake Ossiachersee
On the southern shore, the villages of Heiligengestade and Ostriach offer good facilities for tennis and camping. Annenheim on the northern shore offers good access to some of the surrounding mountains via cable cars. For those driving their own vehicles, the town of
Bodensdorf grants access to a “panorama road” to the Gerlitzen Mountain. Attractions nearby include the ruined castle of
Landskron, which is a dramatic sight from where you can oversee the lake and the dramatic mountain landscape surrounding it.
Otherwise, there are various towns in the surroundings of Lake Ossiachersee that are worth a closer look:
Villach to the West could be combined with a trip to Landskron and the small Lake Faakersee;
Velden, Maria Wörth and
Klagenfurt by Lake Wörthersee are popular destinations; and going eastwards from Ossiach, you will get to the
fortress of Hochosterwitz, St Veit an der Glan and – a bit further away – Gurk with its impressive
Romanesque basilica.
Back to: "Carinthia
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
Further Reading
Official Website of Ossiach
Wikipedia on
Ossiach
Official Website of
Carinthia
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