Ebensee am Traunsee is a resort town in the Alps. It is a great base for active tourism, both mountain and because of the proximity of a water lake.
The vicinity of the village belonged to the Dukes of Bebnberg. In the 16th century, they were taken over by the Habsburgs, and from 1596, salt was mined here by evaporation. The entire region was Austria's main salt reservoir. In the 19th century, Ernest Solvay founded the world's first soda factory here. Although the past of Ebensee am Traunsee was mainly related to industry, in the 20th century the city definitely changed its face. Factories have closed and the entire neighborhood is geared primarily towards tourism.
The period of World War II was a dark card in the history of Ebensee am Traunsee. The Ebensee concentration camp, a branch of the Mauthausen camp, operated here at that time. Currently, there is a museum and a cemetery on its premises. Some of the drifts where the prisoners worked are also open to the public.
Currently, Ebensee am Traunsee is associated primarily with the possibility of relaxing in the mountains. There are several hundred kilometers of hiking trails in the area. The big attraction of Ebensee am Traunsee is the Feuerkogel, which was put into operation in 1926, which takes you to the top and to the higher trails. The small ski area Feuerkogel operates on the slopes of the mountain in winter.
Many tourists visit the Gessel Cave, which has a beautiful dripstone form. The lakes here are also a big attraction in Ebensee am Traunsee. The largest of them, Traunsee, is used for tourist purposes. You can use the Ebensee bathing area with a beach and convenient access to the water, rent a kayak or a boat or practice other water sports, or go on a trip on the Traunsee ferry. The two smaller lakes, Langbathsee and Offensee, are a protected area with walking and resting areas on their shores.
