Gosau


Gosau is a municipality in the district of Gmunden in Upper Austria, Austria.

Location

Gosau is situated along the Gosaubach stream in the Salzkammergut region. The center of the town is at an elevation of 767m. 58.9% of the municipality is forested. At the southern end of Gosau there is a road leading to the Vorderer Gosausee, a lake with a view of the Dachstein.
Gosau is one of the few Lutheran communities in Austria, with about 71% of the population being Lutheran.

History

The valley around Gosau was settled in the 13th century by monks from St. Peter's Abbey in Salzburg. Timber production for the salt mine in Hallstatt was a major industry. In 1490 the town became part of the Principality above the Enns River. The area was repeatedly occupied by the French during the Napoleonic wars. When the Republic of Austria was formed in 1918, Gosau became part of the federal state of Upper Austria. In 1938 the area was annexed by the German Reich along with the rest of Austria, and Gosau became part of the "Gau Oberdonau," returning to Upper Austria when the Republic of Austria was reconstituted in 1945.

Economy

In the past timber production and salt mining in neighboring Hallstatt were the major industries in Gosau. Today, tourism is the main source of income, although raising livestock, mainly cattle, is also an important economic activity.

Politics

Gosau is governed by a 37-member council and Mayor Friedrich Posch of the Social Democratic Party of Austria.