Austria
Hallstatt
Welcome to Austria! Hallstatt is a tiny, picture-perfect village squeezed between a glassy alpine lake and towering mountains — it looks like it's straight out of a storybook.
Why is it famous?
Hallstatt's colorful houses, church spire, and mountain backdrop make it one of the most photographed villages on Earth.
It sits right on the edge of Lake Hallstatt, with steep cliffs rising up behind it.
How was it formed?
Glaciers carved out the deep lake and valley thousands of years ago.
People settled here because the mountains above were full of valuable salt, which the village mined for thousands of years.
Amazing facts
Hallstatt is home to one of the oldest salt mines in the world, still visited by tourists today.
Fewer than 800 people live in the village, but millions of photos of it are shared online every year.
Quick facts
- Hallstatt is home to one of the oldest salt mines in the world, still visited by tourists today.
- Fewer than 800 people live in the village, but millions of photos of it are shared online every year.
- A full-size replica of Hallstatt was even built in a city in China!
- The village is so old that an entire prehistoric period, the 'Hallstatt culture,' is named after it.