A world-famous lakeside village, Hallstatt draws large numbers of tourists from around the world.

A part of the Dachstein-Salzkammergut UNESCO world (natural) heritage, Hallstatt didn't get its status due to its beauty, but due to its historic significance as a salt-producing region and a unique geological situation.

Human settlement in Hallstatt goes back 7,000 years, and the town - back in the days still located up in the mountains - was an important centre of commerce in the Iron Age, so much that the first half of the European Iron Age is named the "Hallstatt period."

Over the course of history, Hallstatt was settled by and served as an important trade post for Celts, the Romans, and finally the Habsburgs. The town we see today is mostly a relic of the 17th century.