Heiligenblut am Großglockner is a year-round holiday village at the foot of Austria's highest mountain, the Großglockner. This quiet, intimate resort attracts enthusiasts of active tourism and sports in summer, and skiers in winter.
The name of the village comes from the legend of an ampoule with the blood of Christ found next to the knight Briccius buried in an avalanche. According to the legend, it was stored in the local church until the 15th century. Around the Gothic temple there are buildings of the village consisting mainly of traditional Alpine brick and wooden houses. Today, many of them have guesthouses, and outside the city center, new apartments and hotels have been built, albeit in a style similar to the historical ones.
The rocky peak of the Großglockner rises above the valley in which the Heiligenblut is situated. There are also other alpine peaks around, such as Hochtor or Gjaidtroghohe. Many of them are covered by hiking and climbing routes, which are covered in summer by dozens of tourists. The famous Grossglockner Hochalpenstrasse road also begins in the town, leading through the passes and valleys around Austria's highest mountain. The entire area surrounding Heiligenblut is included in the Hohe Tauern National Park.
In winter, the main attraction of Heiligenblut am Großglockner is the local Heiligenblut ski area. It is quite an intimate station with 55 km of easy and medium routes and several kilometers of cross-country skiing trails. There are over a dozen cableways and lifts here, and the resort is geared towards family holidays. There are ski schools, slopes for children, and after skiing you can use the toboggan run, ice rink, swimming pool, indoor tennis courts, spa center and snowshoe walks.
