Zammer Lochputz is a picturesque gorge near a town of Zams in Tyrol province of Austria. Zammer Lochputz has a hiking trail that passes through this beautiful geologic formation. One of the more famous rock formation is that of the head of a nymph or a maiden and a bull.
Location: Landeck district, Tyrol
Open: 9:30am- 5:30pm May- Sept
10am- 5pm Oct
Entrance Fee: 3.50 EU, children 2.50 EU
Zammer Lochputz is a small canyon that was formed by water that runs from Lechtaler Alps. In 1924 Zams power station was opened to use the power of the running water. Total volume that passes through Zammer Lochputz gorge range from 1000 to 2000 liters per second. It is particularly strong during spring months when snows are melting and lowest in the summer months of the year. Zammer Lochputz is easily accessible via hiking trails and bridges.
Local Myths of Zammer Lochputz
The natural beuty of Zammer Lochputz made it a stuff of legends. Of these legends is tied to the ruins of a single home that probably belonged to a blacksmith judging by its remains. Local residents claim that this house belonged to a blacksmith who lost his wife. Old man lived in seclusion and rarely ventured into other villages and towns near Zammer Lochputz. One day he met a beautiful maid (water nymph of the river that flows through Zammer Lochputz) who sang by the water fall. Lonely man approached her and started talking about his loneliness. The good hearted woman joined the old man in his house and was adopted as a daughter.
The beauty of the girl of course did not go unnoticed by the young men in the region of Zammer Lochputz. A local shepherd from Lochalm fell in love with a girl and approached her adopted father, the blacksmith, with a proposition of heart and marriage. The Blacksmith didn't want to part with his daughter, but he couldn't refuse the proposal. So he decided to give shepherd several impossible tasks as a test of his seriousness.
Suprisingly young man completed all the tasks. However the old man had a last trick up his sleave. As shepherd was approaching blacksmith's house, the old man cut supporting ropes of the Hangebrucke (Hanging bridge) over Zammer Lochputz. Young man fell into rapid water at the bottom of the gorge. Local legend claim that the shepherd turned into a huge, angry bull as water covered him. However young girl, the water nymph rescued young man and retreated into the depths of the Zammer Lochputz. According to local superstitions young man and his wife, the water nymph today live in the valley. They are hidden from the rest of self centered humans and are united in eternity. The house of the blacksmith caught fire several weeks after attempted murder and completely burned down to the ground along with the blacksmith.