Schlüsselloch

Cultural and Mythical Place

Worthwhile walk on a comfortable forestry trail along Zimmnitz Brook. Past Trefferwand Face, an ancient cult place, one gets to a statue of the Virgin Mary in a rock niche that is always decorated with flowers. The rock niche is referred to as “Schlüsselloch”. The legend has it that if one is unsophisticated one can unlock the rock face. The face is home of Zimnitz spirit who watches over the plantlets of life of the people of the Ischl area. The face is also worth seeing in strict winters, since the water that runs down the rock forms an ice curtain (ice chapel). The narrow Zimmnitz gorge is also a high energy spot and along the way one passes waterfalls. The trail ends at the ice chapel, a cave that has been formed by avalanche snow of Zimmnitz Mountain. You should only continue if you have a good head for heights though. The name of Zimmnitz derives from the Slavonic and together with the Gawanz farm in the Lindau area (old farm house with even here rare earthen stables) it is the westernmost spot of the Ischl area with a Slavic name.