What do you do if it doesn’t stop snowing? Just drive around, watch the big snow flakes, take some pictures and enjoy the winter wonderland.
All set for another discovery tour in the Mondseeland!At the foot of the Drachenwand lies the village of St. Lorenz. The area around the baroque parish church with its two ,onion towers´ and the old lime tree is perceived as restful in every season. But how did the mountain get its peculiar name?Once upon a time there lived a dragon next to the Drachenwand. He fell in love with the priest´s housekeeper but alas she did not respond to his wistful pleas. Her devotion belonged to the priest alone.In fierceness and despair the dragon decided full of rage to leave his dwelling at the Drachenwand and go and kidnap her. He flew to the Mondsee market place and snatched her away, catching her amidst a particularly merry frolic on a day of religious fasting!The dragon seized the priest´s housekeeper with his claws and flew back to the Drachenwand. Unfortunately however, the priest´s housekeeper was considerably heavier than he had presumed. As a result they both collided with full force against the Drachenwand knocking a huge hole in the wall which can still be seen today. This Dragon´s Hole is 18 metres high! Thus the name for the Drachenwand was set for all time.The church of St. Lorenz is late roman in origin and was first documented in 1384. It was originally a wooden church but assumed its current form in 1732 when it was blessed by the bishop of Passau. 52 years later the community of St. Lorenz became a seperate parish. Alongside the St. Lorenz church is a natural monument – a 400 years old lime tree – another symbol of strenght. Once a year around Maria Lichtmess (2nd of February) the sun at 12 pm shines through the hole and spotlights the church, not this year, though ;)Driving from St Lorenz in the direction of Plomberg, the very old Drachenwand Road.This St Mary’s wayside chapel was built 1865 by Koloman and Theresia Niederbrucker.Just before the Plomberg Tunnel that pierces the flank of Almkogel there’s an opportunity to see the Almkogel wall that falls almost vertically into the lake.The Kreuzstein is a boulder in the Mondsee in the state of Upper Austria in Austria . It lies in shallow water just a few meters from the eastern southern bank, which here forms the border with the state of Salzburg, here the municipality of Sankt Gilgen, cadastral municipality of Oberburgau. The limestone boulder is badly eroded, especially at its base, so that it does not protrude vertically but overhangs about 1,9 m from the water. It has a diameter of 2,1 m at the top, but only 1,3 m at the base. The boulder carries a vertically rising and around 1,8 m high Christian cross made of stone, which probably gave it its name, as well as a smaller sloping (height around 80 cm) pagan revitalization cross made of iron. Rumors are there is also a geocache on the boulder.Standing at the western lake front looking towards Salzburg, with the Nockstein barely visible. Another snowstorm arriving within the hour!Nowadays, the name “Mondsee” is often referred to the curved shape, which is reminiscent of the crescent moon. Others believe that former settlers may have worshiped the moon god and hence the name of the moon lake. However, according to legend, the Bavarian Duke Odilo was hunting on the other side of the Drachenwand. He was surprised by the darkness and could not see that there was no gentle descent behind the highest point of the Drachenwand, but a sloping steep wall.As he carelessly rode towards it, at the last moment he saw the moon reflected in the lake below which prevented a fall and certain death. Out of gratitude, he built the oldest monastery (in the year 748) in what is now Upper Austria on the shore of the lake, thus laying the foundation for the town.Following the Attersee Road back to Mondsee. Here, it almost reaches lake level.A picturesque piece of road, even in deep winter.A last glance through the grass at Seeblick, saving more pictures for another time, maybe on bike!
Happy Mary Candlemas! (At Candlemas, the annual requirement for candles for the churches was consecrated. Candles for domestic use could also bring blessings to people. These blessed candles should light up the prayer book, especially in the dark season, or ward off storms as black weather candles. However, its importance has decreased significantly over time and the festival is rarely celebrated with a candlelight procession as it used to be. Until 1912, Candlemas was also an official holiday. After that day, the winter break ended for the farmers and their work began again.) From now on the days will be visibly longer, spring is already on its way ;)
