Summer retreat
The term "summer retreat" generally refers to both the seasonal move from the city to the countryside and the destination. The term "summer retreat" spread in the 19th century and was practically the predecessor of the modern words "holiday" or "holiday". In Austria, the summer retreat experienced its heyday around the turn of the century and lasted well into the 20th century. As early as the 1920s, the imperial court from Vienna acquired a summer residence in Bad Ischl, which led to a general increase in visitors to the Salzkammergut. As a result, the Salzkammergut became one of the most important summer holiday resorts and the MondSeeLand was also visited by numerous holidaymakers.
The year 1867 can be regarded as the beginning of summer holidays in Mondsee. Initially, it was the day guests of the summer holidaymakers from Bad Ischl who came to bathe in the beautiful Mondsee, but it was not long before Mondsee itself became the destination for holidaymakers. The mayor at the time, Peter Tafner, recognised the touristic importance of what was then called "tourism" and initiated the first measures for a "tourist economy". The pharmacist from Mondsee, Rudolf Hinterhuber, also advertised a visit to the MondSeeLand in his booklet "Mondsee and its surroundings" and also described walks and excursion destinations. Mondsee was quickly accepted by summer holidaymakers as a summer domicile and in 1867 there were already 200 guests, most of whom came from Vienna. The summer resort business was characterised by guests staying longer. They rented summer flats and travelled with the whole family and servants. The seaside resorts were particularly popular with summer holidaymakers. The Königsbad was quickly built, which welcomed a large number of bathers.
Summer holidays were also very popular with the local youth. Following the discovery of America by Christopher Columbus, they also developed a thirst for discovery. This led to the discovery of the "Black Indies" when they solemnly took possession of the Eschenhügel in St. Lorenz and hoisted a flag as a sign of conquest. The name "Schwarzindien" became so popular that it was actually renamed and even the station of the Salzkammergut local railway was named after it.
Increasing mobility and the designation of Mondsee as a health resort towards the end of the 19th century led to a steady increase in summer visitors. Lake and children's baths and lake facilities were built. The mountain region also became increasingly interesting. In the early days of the summer resort, the mountains were considered "unconquerable" and only short walks were undertaken for recreation. But this quickly changed and the burgeoning tourism industry was expanded by mountaineers. The Hotel am Schafberg was built as early as 1862. The first hotel in MondSeeLand was built in Pichl-Auhof in 1883 and the Hotel Kreuzstein was built in 1911. The music pavilion was built on today's lakeside promenade in 1900 and the lakeside restaurant with its own grill room was built. Exactly 100 years ago, the Helenenweg (currently closed, alternative hiking trail 8) was declared a public path. As history shows, a lot has happened in a short space of time and this can also be seen in the increasing number of guests. Renowned artists, poets, writers and composers also stayed in Mondsee and spent their holidays here for many years. Heinrich Noe, Gottfried Keller, Johannes Brahms, Johann August von Strindberg, Friedrich Uhl, Carl Michael Ziehrer to name but a few. However, the two world wars led to a decline in the number of summer holidaymakers.
After the end of the Second World War, in 1946, the number of guests increased again and at the same time a steady change in the leisure and holiday behaviour of guests became noticeable. The term "summer retreat" was replaced by "holiday", and people no longer travelled to a holiday destination for the whole summer, but only for a few weeks and nowadays sometimes only for a few days. There has also been a change in the demands placed on the furnishings of hotel rooms as well as holiday activities. Whereas in the economic boom years (1950s-1970s) a room with hot running water was still considered a luxury, from the 1980s until today this has been the minimum standard. In the same way, the quality of holidays has evolved from the rather leisurely holidays of the past, mainly for physical and mental relaxation, with hiking and swimming, to a holiday programme that is sometimes planned with sporting activities. But then as now, whether summer retreat or holiday, active or leisurely, everyone is drawn to nature and the desire and need for relaxation, in whatever form, remains unbroken.
Service
Tourism association Mondsee-IrrseeDr. Franz Müller Str. 3
5310 Mondsee
Phone +43 6232 2270
Fax machine +43 6232 2270-22
E-Mail info@mondsee.at
Web mondsee.salzkammergut.at/en
