Gmunden, Lake town in Upper Austria, Austria
This town lies at the northern end of Lake Traunsee in Upper Austria, where the Traun River enters the water. The settlement sits at an altitude of 425 meters (1,394 feet) and is surrounded by forested hills that slope gently down to the shore.
Around 1000 BCE Illyrians mined salt here, which later became the foundation for a trading post. In 1278 the settlement received town rights and grew into a center for salt processing and navigation on the lake.
This settlement developed around salt mines and trade routes that shaped life by the lake for many centuries. Today visitors ride the paddle steamer across the water and walk through lanes with low houses, their fronts often decorated with local ceramics.
The old center can be crossed on foot, and several paths lead down from the main streets to the lakefront. In summer a walk along the water is pleasant, while in winter fog over the lake often limits the view.
The Gisela paddle steamer, which has sailed the lake since 1871, is one of the oldest passenger vessels still operating on an Austrian inland waterway. Its wooden hull has been restored multiple times yet retains the original construction method.
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