Three square kilometres of paradise – East Flachgau

You don’t have to be good all your life and die only to experience the paradise. Just a stone’s throw away from the provincial capital of Salzburg in East Flachgau region, there is three square kilometres of paradise, and everyone can enjoy it. Flachgau is a region surrounding Salzburg, and in the heart of it, you can find beautiful Fuschlsee. From Salzburg, you can reach this destination using the motorway A1 in just 20 minutes. What can you experience here?

Nature: Shining bright like Fuschlsee

Fuschlsee, 4,1 km long and 900 m wide lake, is surrounded by an impressive Alpine scenery. The water in the lake is crystal-clear and of very good quality. The colour of the lake is unique. Some days, it shines turquoise and sparkles like a gemstone. Other days, it shows a deep impenetrable blue colour, but sometimes, it is emerald green. Thanks to the clean water, the underwater vegetation is perfectly preserved, and the fish world is thriving. Fourteen different species of fish live here, among them char or tendrils. In order to preserve natural balance, the motor boats are forbidden. However, you can still enjoy a boat ride on the electrically operated wooden barge. Because of its small size, the lake is perfect to take a stroll around it, no matter what time of the year. In summer, it is great for bathing, and in winter, the area is known for cross-country skiing.

Fuschlsee

R73G+68 Hof bei Salzburg, Austria

History: Castle on peninsula

On the peninsula at the western end of the lake lies a beautiful castle Schloss Fuschl. Overlooking one of Austria’s most beautiful lakes, the Schloss Fuschl offers a unique historical and luxury atmosphere. The castle was built in the style of the Renaissance, and since the beginning, it has been a popular spot for the visitors - first hunters, then royalty, stars, politicians and even convicted Nazi war crimes. The Indian president Nehru, the president of the Soviet Union Nikita Khrushchev, the Egyptian president Anwar Sadat, the General Secretary of the Communist Party of China Jiang Zemin, actress Romy Schneider, and Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich, are just a few names that were the guests of Schloss Fuschl. Today, it is a luxury five stars hotel with a spa. This castle became world-famous as a backdrop for the trilogy of the romantic films about Empress Sissi (Elisabeth of Austria), who was starred by a teenage Romy Schneider.

Schloss Fuschl

Schloss-Straße 19, 5322 Hof bei Salzburg, Аустрија

Gastronomy: Fishery

The Fishery is picturesquely situated directly on the shores of the lake, with the world-famous Schloss Fuschl in the background. Thanks to the crystal-clear water of the mountain Lake Fuschl, the quality of fish is supreme. Some of the fishermen drink water from the lake, only to demonstrate how clean it is. The fish is in abundance here. There are fourteen different species in the lake, and only eel is not indigenous. Due to the fewer nutrients in the clean water, the fish grow slower, and they are harder to catch. Therefore, the quality of the fish, as well as the price, are very high. After the fish is caught, it is smoked for 2-3 hours in a smokehouse of the fishery by using beech wood and sawdust. This smoked fish is known and loved beyond the borders of the country. For decades, the fishery offers to the locals and guests excellent quality fish specialities on the spot.

Castle Fishery Fuschl

Schlossstrasse 19, 5322 Hof bei Salzburg, Аустрија

Art: Big, bigger, Bulls of Fuschl

The modern complex of volcano-like buildings with a huge statue is probably not something you would expect to see in a fairytale-like scenery of the Austrian mountain and lake region. However, on the shore of beautiful Fuschlsee, in the perfectly natural setting of the Alps, one big company has decided to build its headquarter. Not the architect was commissioned to build it, but a Tyrolean sculptor and artist Jos Pirkner. He planned, designed and created everything: the buildings, the garden and the artworks down to the smallest detail. It took him eight years to finish this task. The complex consists of two volcano-shaped buildings surrounded by an artificial lake from one side, and the beautiful garden from the other side. The central masterpiece of the entire complex is a 22.5-meter-long statue of the 14 bulls called the “Bullen von Fuschl” (Bulls of Fuschl). Pirkner used 57 tons of clay and 25 tons of bronze to sculpt a gigantic sculpture, and he needed six years to finish it. This impressive work of art is considered the largest bronze sculpture in Europe.

Red Bull HQ

Am Brunnen 4, 5330 Fuschl am See, Austria

Breathtaking nature, rich history, superb gastronomical threats, impressive architecture and art make three square kilometres of East Flachgau the paradise on earth.