Gmunden has 13,275 inhabitants (as of January 1, 2020) and is the
seat of the district administration of the Gmunden district. As the
center of the Gmunden judicial district, it houses the district
court. The city is known as the place of origin of Gmundner ceramics
with its characteristic white and green flamed decor. During the k.
u. k. Monarchy was Gmunden as a renowned summer resort, which the
numerous villas testify. The city also became known in the 1990s
through the television series Schlosshotel Orth.
The first
settlement of today's urban area goes back to the 5th century. The
first settlers were fishermen. The settlement takes its name from
the confluence of the Traun in the Traunsee and was initially called
about * (ze) munten ('At the mouths'). The plural was used because
the Traun was not yet regulated and flowed into the lake in several
arms.
It is not known exactly when Gmunden became a town from
a fortified market. Gmunden celebrated its town elevation in 1278.
Gmunden was heavily fortified in the Middle Ages. Gmunden only got
its own church around 1300. A regional court (today a district
court) already existed in 1217. The economic and political head was
the salt minister or city judge.
The livelihood of the city
remained the salt trade in the early modern period. The economic
situation of Gmunden deteriorated immensely in the course of the
Upper Austrian Peasant War, the salt trade could hardly be sustained
and looting was the order of the day. After a truce was negotiated,
musketeers moved in.
During the 17th century Gmunden grew in
economic importance as a supplier of warships. Because of the second
Turkish siege of Vienna, thousands of refugees had to be taken in
and fed, which is why the existing Turkish tax was increased
considerably.
During the Austrian War of Succession, Gmunden
and the surrounding area looked like a large field camp, although
there were never any armed conflicts. The burden of quarters, first
for the Bavarians, then for the French, and after the invasion of
the imperial troops in Upper Austria was considerable.
At the
beginning of the 19th century the end of the boom of the salt trade
was looming, which is why it was important to find new sources of
income. The development of Gmundens into a spa town and the
legendary competition with Bad Ischl that resulted from it began. In
1862 Gmunden was named a spa town.
In September 1914 Gmunden
took over the task of a hospital town. 190 wounded soldiers arrived
and were taken to the hospitals set up for this purpose. Hundreds of
wounded arrived in the months that followed. In 1916 there was a
rapid deterioration in the supply of the population, which could not
be improved for the time being.
On January 1, 1939, parts of
Eck and Ort as well as Traunleithen and Theresienthal had to be
ceded by the Altmünster community to Gmunden. As a result, the train
station was also integrated into the municipality of Gmunden. Until
the 1950s, the Altmünster community tried to get the ceded areas
back.
In 1942 Gmunden had to take in hundreds of refugees. A
year before the end of the war, Gmunden became a refugee town. The
population grew to 30,000, a crowd the community could not handle.
Although the city was spared bombing, the economy was completely in
ruins by the end of the war. During the Second World War, Gmunden
was also used as a hospital town. Of the more than 600 Gmundners
drafted into military service, not even 13 percent survived the war.
During the occupation, the US troops set up an espionage center.
Many former SS men were also hired, as it was assumed that they knew
about Soviet conditions. The city of Gmunden also benefited from the
American reconstruction program.
In 2008 the decentralized
state exhibition took place under the title “Das Salzkammergut”. The
leading and overview exhibition was in Schloss Ort in Gmunden. In
addition to Gmunden, eleven other communities in the Salzkammergut
took part. For this purpose the Kammerhof Museum was expanded or
rebuilt.
Due to the low number of pupils, the previously
independent secondary schools (Hebbel and Habert School) were merged
from the 2007/2008 school year.
For 2007 there was a catalog of measures by the municipality. The most important projects included the expansion of the city center and the construction of the Lacus Felix lake hotel. The construction of the hotel was supposed to start in 2007, but after the liquidation of the hotel company due to financial problems, the construction project was abandoned in 2014. In 2009, the implementation of the so-called “station package” was to begin, which contained the following plan: Since the Seebahnhof is being demolished as a result of the hotel project, a suitable solution is to be found - the most likely option is to erect a new building in the monastery area. The Gmunden train station is also to receive a modern central platform and the station building is to be renovated. The barrier system at the level crossing near the train station is to be eliminated through an underpass.
The most famous sights of Gmunden are the Landschloss and
Seeschloss Ort. The latter was also the location of the television
series Schlosshotel Orth. The Seeschloss is one of the oldest
buildings in the Salzkammergut (built in the 10th century) and was
first mentioned in documents in 909 and later in 1053.
The
Villa Toscana is not far from the Seeschloss. This building was
built between 1870 and 1877 in the middle of an 88,000 m² park as
the domicile of the Grand Duchess of Tuscany, Maria Antonie of
Naples-Sicily. Other castles in the vicinity are Cumberland Castle
from the 19th century and Weyer Castle, which houses a permanent
exhibition on Meissen porcelain.
On the Rinnholzplatz there
is the salt carrier fountain, the only ceramic fountain in Austria,
from which drinking water flows from the “Holy Bründl”.
In
the parish church is the three king altar, which was created by the
Bavarian-Austrian sculptor Thomas Schwanthaler around 1678. In the
Capuchin Church, built in 1636, the high altar painting of the
Visitation of the Virgin, created in 1753 by the Tyrolean Baroque
painter Philipp Haller, is particularly noteworthy.
The
Gmundner Marktplatz is located near the parish church. In addition
to old houses, such as the first Gmundner Rathaus, which existed
until 1301, there is also the city fountain with the city coat of
arms. The town hall was built by an Italian master builder in 1574,
with a ceramic chime from the 16th century, and underwent extensive
renovations in 1925. When the city was founded, the market square
was the economic and political center. In a lane leading away from
the market square, there is the first pharmacy in the Salzkammergut,
as well as the Pepöckhaus, in which the Klo & So sanitary museum has
been set up since 1988.
The Kammerhof, built in 1450, once
the seat of the Habsburg salt chamber and representative of the
emperor, offers both historical and modern architectural elements.
In the Kammerhof there is not only the city museum but also the
Brahms Museum: Johannes Brahms often spent the summer months with
the Viennese industrialist Viktor von Miller zu Aichholz in his
Gmundner villa, after Brahms's death in 1897 he founded the first
Brahms Museum in Gmunden in 1900 World.
The famous paddle
steamer Gisela (built in 1871) is parked next to the Kammerhof at a
landing stage for the Traunsee shipping company. The ship was named
after the daughter of Emperor Franz Joseph, Gisela Louise Marie of
Austria.
Another attraction is the Gmundner tram built by
Stern & Hafferl. It connects the city center with the main train
station and is the oldest, shortest and - with a gradient of 10% -
the steepest tram in Austria.
In the Gmundner ceramics
factory you can watch how the typical “green flamed” is created
during factory tours. The influence of Gmundner ceramics is so
strong that Gmunden calls itself the “ceramic city”. From 1997 the
company, which had existed for more than 500 years, was owned by
Maximilian Graf von Moy's family, made losses before 2014 and was
sold to the MF Group, Anif by Markus Friesacher on August 1, 2018.
Vineyard outdoor seating in the Traundorf district.
Today
the city is a member of the Association of Small Historic Cities.
Prehistoric and Ancient Origins
Human activity in the area dates
back millennia, driven by rich salt deposits. Illyrian peoples mined
salt here as early as around 1000 BCE. Celtic and Roman settlements
followed, taking advantage of the strategic lakeside location for
resources and trade. After the fall of the Roman Empire, Bavarian
settlers moved in. A permanent settlement, likely including stilt houses
or lakeside dwellings used by fishermen, existed by the 5th century CE.
Medieval Period: Fortification and Town Status
By the late 12th
century, Gmunden had developed into a fortified settlement. Around 1186,
it featured defensive walls, and it received town privileges (charter)
in 1278. A church was not established until around 1300, despite earlier
fortifications. Schloss Ort (Seeschloss Ort), the iconic castle on a
small island in Traunsee, traces its origins to the 11th century (first
mentioned around 909–1080) and played a key role in local defense and
nobility.
The town’s growth was closely linked to the salt trade. As
part of the Habsburg-controlled Salzkammergut (“salt chamber estate”),
Gmunden became a vital transshipment point for salt mined upstream in
places like Hallstatt and Bad Ischl. Salt was floated down the Traun
River, making the town economically significant. Habsburg policies
emphasized control over this monopoly, integrating Gmunden into the
imperial salt economy.
Early Modern Era: Conflicts and Imperial
Role
In the 16th–17th centuries, Gmunden’s importance grew. It
supplied naval ships (war boats) to the Austrian Habsburgs. A major
event was the Upper Austrian Peasants’ War in 1626: On November 14, an
army of rebellious peasants was defeated at Gmunden by Imperial forces
under General Gottfried Heinrich zu Pappenheim (acting for Maximilian
I). The fallen insurgents were buried nearby in Pinsdorf, commemorated
by the Bauernhügel obelisk memorial.
The town hall dates to 1659, and
the Baroque parish church (on 13th-century foundations) was consecrated
in 1723, reflecting post-conflict rebuilding and prosperity. Gmunden
remained a key logistics hub for salt distribution, with good river
connections.
18th–19th Centuries: Resort and Aristocratic Haven
Gmunden transitioned into a health and summer resort in the 19th
century, famous for its lake, brine, and pine-cone baths, hydropathic
facilities, and scenic beauty. The salt industry continued, but tourism
and services expanded. Its popularity among European nobility increased,
especially after the Habsburgs and other royals sought exile or retreats
here.
Notable aristocratic connections include:
Members of the
House of Hanover (e.g., George V, Ernest Augustus) and related dynasties
who built or acquired villas like Cumberland Castle (1882).
Habsburg
figures such as Archduke Johann Salvator (who owned Schloss Ort and
later renounced his titles, becoming “Johann Orth” before disappearing
at sea in 1890).
Other royals like Princess Maria Antonia of the Two
Sicilies and various exiled or retired nobility.
This era
cemented Gmunden’s reputation as a refined lakeside destination.
Infrastructure improvements, including railways, boosted accessibility.
20th Century: Wars and Modern Developments
During World War I,
Gmunden hosted hospitals for wounded soldiers. In World War II, it had
an SS maternity home aligned with Nazi racial policies. Post-war, the
town recovered as a tourist and residential center.
Population grew
steadily: from around 6,500 in 1869 to over 13,000 by the late 20th
century. Industries included ceramics (famous Gmundner Keramik), cement,
textiles, and brewing, alongside services for the surrounding rural and
tourist areas. Cultural figures like writer Thomas Bernhard and others
have ties to the town.
Schloss Ort, after periods of private
ownership and neglect, was acquired by the city of Gmunden in 1995 and
now serves as a cultural venue and study center.
Modern Gmunden
Today, Gmunden blends its medieval heritage, imperial legacy, and
natural beauty. It remains a popular resort with attractions like
Seeschloss Ort, the town hall, ceramic traditions, and access to the
Salzkammergut lakes and mountains (a UNESCO region). Its history
reflects broader Austrian themes: salt-driven economy under Habsburg
centralization, peasant revolts, aristocratic retreats, and adaptation
to tourism and modernity.
Location and Regional Context
Gmunden lies in the Traun River
basin within the broader Salzkammergut, a scenic area of lakes,
mountains, and forests stretching from near Salzburg eastward along the
Alpine foreland into the Northern Limestone Alps. The region is renowned
for its dramatic karst landscapes, glacial lakes, and historical salt
mining heritage (the name "Salzkammergut" refers to the Habsburg salt
domain).
The town is nestled where the Traun River flows into (and
out of) Traunsee, making it a key point in the drainage system feeding
eventually into the Danube. It borders several municipalities, including
Altmünster to the south, Ohlsdorf and Pinsdorf to the north, and others
like Ebensee further along the lake.
Gmunden’s municipality covers
about 63.5 km², divided into boroughs such as Gmunden, Gmunden-Ort,
Schlagen, Traundorf, and Unterm Stein.
Topography and Landscape
Gmunden occupies a transitional zone at the northern edge of the
Northern Limestone Alps. The terrain is highly varied:
Lake and
Shoreline: Traunsee dominates the geography. Austria’s deepest lake (max
depth ~191–204 m), it spans about 24.5 km², up to 12 km long and 3 km
wide, with a surface elevation of 423 m. Its waters are famously
crystal-clear and turquoise due to glacial origins and minimal sediment.
The lake creates a fjord-like setting with steep mountain drops directly
into the water in places.
Mountains and Ridges: The area is encircled
by impressive peaks. Prominent nearby summits include:
Traunstein
(1,691 m / ~5,546 ft), rising dramatically right above the lake.
Erlakogel (~1,570 m).
Wilder Kogel (~2,090 m).
Parts of the
Höllengebirge range.
These limestone massifs feature steep cliffs,
karst features (caves, sinkholes), and forested slopes. The contrast
between the deep lake and towering peaks is a defining visual
characteristic.
Valleys and Lowlands: The town itself sits on
relatively flat to gently sloping lakeshore terrain with meadows, some
agricultural land, and urban development. The broader basin includes
glacial deposits, river terraces, and forested areas. To the north, the
landscape opens toward the Alpine foreland with lower hills.
The
surrounding mountains create a sheltered, enclosed feel while providing
numerous hiking and viewpoints. The area is part of a glaciated
landscape shaped by Pleistocene ice ages, with U-shaped valleys and
moraines.
Geology and Soils
The bedrock is primarily limestone
and other carbonate rocks of the Northern Limestone Alps, interspersed
with flysch (sandstone/shale) formations. This geology contributes to
karst hydrology—underground drainage, springs feeding the lake—and
fertile but often rocky or calcareous soils in valleys.
Soils in the
region vary: valley bottoms and lakeshores often feature deeper alluvial
or glacial deposits (loams, silts), while slopes have shallower, stony
soils (Cambisols, Leptosols common in Alpine areas). Vegetation
influences soil development, with forests promoting organic-rich layers.
Climate
Gmunden has a temperate oceanic to humid continental
climate (Köppen Cfb/Dfb influences), moderated by the lake and protected
by surrounding mountains. Key characteristics include:
Mild summers
(warm but not extreme) and cold winters with possible snow.
Lake-effect moderation keeps temperatures more stable.
High
precipitation due to orographic lift from Alpine air masses, supporting
lush forests and meadows.
Elevation and aspect create
microclimates—cooler, shadier slopes versus sunnier lakeside areas.
The region experiences pleasant conditions for tourism year-round,
with warm lake waters suitable for swimming in summer and snow in higher
elevations for winter activities.
Hydrology and Water Features
Traunsee: Fed primarily by the Traun River (and tributaries/springs), it
drains northward via the same river. Its great depth and clarity make it
ecologically significant.
Traun River: Central to the town’s layout
and historical development (transport, industry, salt trade).
Other
nearby lakes (e.g., in the broader Salzkammergut) and streams add to the
rich aquatic environment.
Vegetation and Land Use
Forests
(mixed deciduous and coniferous, including beech, spruce, pine) cover
much of the mountainous terrain. Lower areas feature meadows, pastures,
and some agriculture. The lakeshore supports riparian vegetation, parks,
and promenades in town. Alpine meadows and rocky outcrops appear at
higher elevations.
Human land use blends historic town center,
tourism infrastructure, light industry (e.g., ceramics), and protected
natural areas. The Salzkammergut’s cultural landscape, including
Gmunden, holds UNESCO World Heritage status for its harmonious blend of
nature and human history.