Lofer

Lofer is a market town in Salzburg that stretches along the Saalach river valley between the Chiemgau Alps and Reiter Alpe mountains. The settlement sits at around 626 meters elevation and forms part of a deep alpine valley with steep mountainsides on both sides.

The Prince-Bishops of Salzburg granted Lofer market rights in 1473, establishing it as an important trading hub on the route to Tyrol. This privilege shaped the town's growth as a passageway between Salzburg and southern alpine regions for centuries.

The parish church shapes the town's character through its regional architectural style and remains a focal point where locals and visitors naturally gather. Its presence reflects how religious structures anchor community life in mountain valleys.

The town provides access to prepared ski slopes during winter months, while the Saalach river offers water sports opportunities in the warmer season. Being a valley settlement, it sits on a main route and has good pathways that make exploring on foot straightforward.

Fortifications at Strub Pass near the town once guarded the mountain route and were destroyed by Bavarian forces during the Tyrolean uprisings of the early 1800s. Remnants of these structures reveal how alpine passes were once important military checkpoints.