Eisriesenwelt, Werfen

Name: Eisriesenwelt
Address: Eishohlenstrasse 30, Werfen, 5450, Austria
Telephone: 43 06468 5248

#2 among attractions in Werfen

Natural attraction, Top attraction, Park, Cave

Gallery (8)

Map

Gallery

Photo details 1. Wikipedia / CC BY-SA 4.0 / Diego Delso / URL • 2. Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 3.0 at / Morghus / URL • 3. Wikimedia Commons / CC BY 4.0 / GiorgioGaleotti / URL • 4. Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0 / Bahnfrend / URL • 5. Wikimedia Commons / GFDL / Sporti / URL • 6. Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0 / Bahnfrend / URL • 7. Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 3.0 / MaikMeid / URL

Facts and practical information

Nestled in the heart of the Austrian Alps, the Eisriesenwelt offers an otherworldly experience as one of the most breathtaking natural wonders in the region. Located near the town of Werfen, just a short trip from Salzburg, this ice cave is the largest of its kind in the world, spanning an impressive 42 kilometers.

Discovered in 1879, Eisriesenwelt, which translates to "World of the Ice Giants," has since been a magnet for tourists seeking adventure and natural beauty. The cave is a dynamic labyrinth of ice sculptures, frozen waterfalls, and towering formations created by the freezing of water seeping through the limestone rock.

The journey to the cave is an adventure in itself, beginning with a picturesque drive through the Salzach valley, followed by a cable car ride to a higher altitude, and culminating in a brisk hike to the cave's entrance. Once inside, visitors are led by knowledgeable guides through an hour-long tour of the cave's most accessible sections.

Due to the cave's constant low temperatures, which remain below freezing even in summer, visitors are advised to dress warmly and wear sturdy shoes. The interior is illuminated by magnesium lamps, which cast an ethereal glow on the ice, enhancing the magical atmosphere.

Tours are available from May to October, during which the cave's interior is accessible, as the entrance is closed during the winter months due to safety concerns. Photography inside the cave is not permitted, preserving the natural ambiance and ensuring a truly immersive experience.

Alternative names: Discovered: 1879Visitors per year: 200 thous.Length: 26.1 miElevation: 3428 ft a.s.l.Coordinates: 47°30'10"N, 13°11'25"E

Address

Eishohlenstrasse 30Werfen 5450 Austria

Contact

43 06468 5248

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Werfen

Day trips

Eisriesenwelt – popular in the area (distance from the attraction)

Nearby attractions include: Burg Hohenwerfen, Lueg Pass, Torsäule, Raucheck.

1.4 miS
Forts and castles, History museum, Museum
Burg Hohenwerfen, Werfen
36 min walk • Perched atop a rocky peak in the market town of Werfen, Austria, Burg Hohenwerfen stands as a majestic fortress with a history that spans over 900 years. This imposing medieval castle, nestled in the Salzach valley, offers visitors a journey back in time to the days of...
5 miN
Mountain pass
Lueg Pass, Golling an der Salzach
129 min walk • Lueg Pass is a mountain pass or defile above the Salzachöfen Gorge in Salzburg State, Austria. The pass is at the western edge of the Tennen Mountains and is approximately 100 m above the Salzach river where Salzachöfen is at its narrowest.
6.5 miSW
Nature, Natural attraction, Mountain
Torsäule
166 min walk • The Torsäule is a very steep, about 500-metre-high limestone formation on the eastern flank of the Hochkönig massif in the Berchtesgaden Alps.
1.7 miE
Nature, Natural attraction, Mountain
Raucheck
44 min walk • At 2,430 m, the Raucheck is the highest peak in the Tennen Mountains in the Northern Limestone Alps. To the south rock faces up to 1,000 metres drop into the valley of the Salzach, whilst its northern side descends relatively gently over a broad plateau into the barren Pitschenberg valley where the Leopold Happisch Haus is located.
2 miE
Nature, Natural attraction, Mountain
Tennen Mountains
52 min walk • The Tennen Mountains is a small, but rugged, mountain range in the Northern Limestone Alps, which lies in front of the Eastern Alps for its entire length. It is a very heavily karstified high plateau, about 60 km² in area, with many caves. The range is located in Austria in the district of Salzburg near Bischofshofen.
6.6 miSW
Nature, Natural attraction, Mountain
Schoberköpfe
169 min walk • The Schoberköpfe are several ridge-shaped peaks, arranged along the eastern edge of the Hochkönig plateau in the Berchtesgaden Alps, and which lie in a semi-circular arc that opens towards the east facing the Salzach...
3.4 miS
47°27'21"N • 13°12'27"E
7 Mühlen, Pfarrwerfen
86 min walk • Museum
4.2 miSE
47°27'44"N • 13°15'22"E
Salzburger Landesskimuseum, Werfenweng
107 min walk • Museum
5.1 miE
Nature, Natural attraction, Mountain
Bleikogel
131 min walk • Bleikogel - a peak in the Tennengebirge group, parts of the northern limestone. It lies in Austria in the union country of Salzburg. This is the second largest peak of Tennengebirge.
2.6 miE
Nature, Natural attraction, Mountain
Hochthron
66 min walk • Werfener Hochthron - a peak in the Tennengebirge group, parts of the northern limestone. It lies in Austria in the union country of Salzburg.
4.3 miE
Nature, Natural attraction, Mountain
Eiskogel
110 min walk • The Eiskogel is one of the best known peaks in the Tennen Mountains which are part of the Northern Limestone Alps in the state of Salzburg. On its south and west sides the mountain has rock faces up to 1,000 metres high.