Zell am Ziller is a market town with 1710 inhabitants (as of
January 1, 2023) in the Zillertal in the district of Schwaz in Tyrol
in Austria.
The municipality lies in the judicial district of
Zell am Ziller.
Parish Church of St. Veit. Built in 1779.
Zillertal regional museum. The museum gives an insight into
historical life. The centerpiece is the 17th century Hof Ental,
which was removed from its original location and rebuilt here. Open:
in summer.
The local ski area is the
Zillertalarena, the largest ski area in the Zillertal; Valley
locations are Zell, Gerlos, Krimml, Wald-Königsleiten; 30 huts and
snow bars;
Height 630 - 2 500m; 50 lifts; 163 km of slopes;
Regular events
Gauderfest. The Gauderfest takes place every year
in the days before the first Sunday in May. It is one of the oldest
folk festivals in Tyrol. The Gauderbock, a Bock beer specially
brewed by the local brewery for the festival, is served. There is
also a pageant with floats, bands and groups in traditional costume.
A highlight is the wrestling, a form of wrestling. The festival has
been recognized by UNESCO as an Intangible Cultural Heritage.
By plane
By train
From Jenbach an der
Unterinntalbahn (route Kufstein - Innsbruck) with the Zillertalbahn
to Zell.
By bus
There are bus connections from Innsbruck
main station.
By street
Zell is located in the middle of
the Zillertal, the approach is from the north from the Lower Inn
Valley (Inntal motorway A12, Kufstein - Innsbruck, toll!), Exit
Zillertal and continue on the federal road B169 through the
Zillertal to Uderns. The toll-free journey from Germany is possible
via the route along the Achensee.
In an easterly direction,
Gerlosstraße branches off to the Gerlos Pass (1490 m).
Bier-Hotel Bräu, Dorfplatz 1, 6280 Zell am Ziller. Tel.: +43 5282 23130. Traditional hotel with a 500-year history, Tyrolean cuisine with ingredients from our own farm, fish water and managed alpine pasture. Feature: ★★★★.
Zell is located in the back of the Zillertal in a basin on the right
side of the Ziller. In terms of area, it is the smallest municipality in
the valley. The surrounding slopes form the communities of Zellberg,
Rohrberg, Gerlosberg and Hainzenberg. In the north, the community of
Aschau in the Zillertal, in the south the communities of Hippach and
Ramsau in the Zillertal, adjoin Zell.
Along with Fügen, Zell is
the old capital and the economic, administrative and educational center
of the Zillertal. These include a branch office of the Schwaz district
authority, the district court (all municipalities in the valley belong
to the district court), the Zillertal tourism schools, a music school,
the foundation old people's home and other important institutions.
The foundation of the community was laid by monks in the 8th century,
who converted the inhabitants of the valley to Christianity from the
Gerlos Pass and built a simple monk's cell.
Zell was of great
importance for the archbishopric of Salzburg. In addition to extensive
property, the direct route via the Gerlos Pass to the Salzburg homeland
led from here.
In 1187, the St. John's Hospital was built for the
numerous pilgrims and travelers, from which the foundation old people's
home emerged. 1188 the place name Zell as Cellensis parrochia (parish
Zell) in a document Archbishop Adalbert III. first mentioned in a
document from Salzburg. With the discovery of gold on the Hainzenberg in
the 16th century, the importance of the place increased, so that the
administration of the Salzburg court in the Zillertal was moved to Zell
in 1592.
After mining declined in the 19th century, Zell was a
place for cattle markets. The cattle were driven over the Tuxer Joch and
the Brenner Pass to Bolzano in exchange for wine.
In the course
of the Napoleonic Wars, Zell was plundered by Bavarian troops on
November 6, 1809 during the Tyrolean uprising. After the end of the war,
the hereditary homage of the Austrian Emperor Franz I took place on June
5, 1816, until he traveled on to Fügen, where the local Emperor Monument
was erected. He was an advocate of the participation of the then
Salzburg areas like Zell in the Tyrolean freedom struggle in 1809 and
advocated a unification of these areas with the County of Tyrol.
Miners were still working in the mine up until 1930, but mining was
discontinued as it was unprofitable.
In 1989 Zell was raised to a
market town.
Zell's economy is characterized by agriculture, various commercial
enterprises and tourism, which has been developing since the beginning
of the 19th century.
The tourism schools, where different types
of schools are offered, are of supra-regional importance for education.
The brewery (Zillertal Bier), founded in 1500, is located in Zell
and is the oldest private brewery in Tyrol.
Due to its economic
importance, Zell has many commuters.
Zell is connected to a train station via the Zillertalstraße and the
Zillertalbahn. In an easterly direction, the Gerlosstraße (B165)
branches off to the Gerlospass (1490 m).
tourism infrastructure
Zillertal Arena: The Zillertal Arena was created in 2000 as a merger of
the Zell, Gerlos and Königsleiten ski areas and is the largest ski area
in the Zillertal. Among other things, it is accessed by the Rosenalmbahn
and, since the 2010/11 season, by the Karspitzbahn, the valley station
of which is located in the municipality of Rohrberg.
In Zell am
Ziller there are several ski bus lines during the ski season.
When
there is enough snow, cross-country ski runs are groomed on the Ziller
(classic and sometimes also skating).
Many big football teams contest
a training camp in Zell am Ziller every year.
Education
As an
important school location, Zell has a new secondary school with a focus
on music and a polytechnic school. The Zillertal Tourism Schools make it
possible to start a career in the hospitality industry. The students are
qualified for all professions in the hotel and catering industry and
some of them finish with the Matura (diploma examination). The Zillertal
State Music School is also located in the village.
Mayor of Zell am Ziller is Robert Pramstrahler.
Blazon: In gold, a black-robed monk with outstretched arms, holding a
black cross on the right, and a church with a pointed tower on the left
The municipal coat of arms, awarded in 1975, refers to the history
of the missionaries of St. Rupert founded place and symbolizes the place
name that comes from Mönchszelle.
Zell am Ziller is mentioned in the song Steirermen san very good by the Stoakogler.
Honorary citizen
Paul Öttl (1932-2020), pastor of Zell am Ziller
1983-2001
Sons and daughters
Erwin Aschenwald (born 1954),
composer, violinist and singer
Hans Binder (born 1948), racing driver
and entrepreneur
Irene Crepaz (* 1945), politician (SPÖ)
Günter
Csar (born 1966), Nordic Combined
Martin Egger (1832–1898), Jesuit
priest and physicist
Siegfried Egger (born 1970), hotelier and
politician
Anja Haas (born 1971), alpine skier
Brigitte Hauser
(born 1955), alpine skier
Gabi Hauser (born 1958), alpine skier
Thomas Hauser (born 1953), alpine skier
Franz Xaver Hochbichler
(1733–1825), vicar general in Salzburg
Johann Carl Hocheder
(1800-1864), Montanist and mineralogist
Franz Hörl (born 1956),
politician (ÖVP)
Johann Damascen von Kleimayrn (1735-1810),
Benedictine priest, university teacher and last abbot of Wessobrunn
Johann Franz Thaddäus von Kleimayrn (1733–1805), Salzburg statesman and
scholar
Josef Mauracher (1845–1907), organ builder
Balthasar
Niederkofler (1906–1989), cross-country skier and skiing official
Wolfgang Palaver (born 1958), Roman Catholic theologian
Helmut Rehm
(1911–1991), painter and graphic artist
Darshano L. Rieser (real name
Ludwig Rieser, * 1956), mountaineer and climber
Hermann Sander
(1840–1919), writer and historian
Heinz Schiestl (1867–1940),
sculptor and graphic artist
Other community figures
Felix von
Kraus (1870-1937), singer and university teacher, spent his retirement
in Zell and was buried there.
Adrienne Osborne (1873–1951), singer,
lived in Zell and was buried there.
Christoph Steiner (* 1988),
politician, member of the Tyrolean state parliament, member of the
Bundesrat
Lisa Ungerank (born 1991), sports shooter