Leslie Massey
Gaming, Austria, is a small but beautiful upcoming tourist destination in the foothills of the Austrian Alps. It is a municipality within the district of Scheibbs in Lower Austria. The town is known for its old Carthusian monastery, which was the home and burial place of Duke Albert II of the Habsburg family. Today, the monastery serves as the main campus for the Franciscan University of Steubenville's study abroad program. The town's economy centres on lumber, agriculture, hunting, and fishing, and it offers many natural attractions to visitors, including the Ötscher-Tormauer Nature Park, the largest park in Lower Austria, known for its rivers, waterfalls, and rock formations.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Municipality within the district of | Scheibbs in Lower Austria |
| Population | Decreasing |
| Economy | Lumber, agriculture, hunting, and fishing |
| Attractions | Ötscher-Tormauer Nature Park, Second Viennese Spring Water Channel, Carthusian monastery |
| Other notable features | High school devoted to agriculture, served as a study abroad campus for Franciscan University of Steubenville |
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What You'll Learn
- Explore the Carthusian monastery, burial place of Duke Albert II of the Habsburg family
- Visit the Ötscher-Tormauer Nature Park, home to waterfalls, rock formations, and rivers
- Take a trip to the Second Viennese Spring Water Channel, which provides Vienna with high-quality water
- Enjoy the area's natural attractions, including its location in the foothills of the Austrian Alps
- Check out the local museums, including the Franciscan University of Steubenville's study abroad campus
Explore the Carthusian monastery, burial place of Duke Albert II of the Habsburg family
Gaming, Austria is home to the former Carthusian monastery, Kartause Gaming, founded in 1330 by Albert II, Duke of Austria. The duke intended the monastery to be a dynastic burial place, and it served as the residence and final resting place for him, his wife, Joanna of Pfirt, and his daughter-in-law, Elisabeth of Bohemia. The cornerstone for the Kartause was laid on 15 August 1332, and it was called "Mariathron", meaning "Mary, Throne of Christ".
The Carthusians who lived at the monastery were given abundant resources, including vast tracts of land for farming and raising livestock. The tenants who occupied these lands paid their dues with cheese, oats, clarified butter, roof shingles, and hoops for wine barrels. The Carthusians also held fishing rights for the surrounding water sources, including the river of Ybbs, over two hours away.
The monastery was dissolved in 1782 during the reforms of Emperor Joseph II, and the monks were relieved of their vows. The graves of the founders were opened, and the coffins sold. The bones remained exposed until 1797 when they were finally interred in the local parish church. In 1825, the monastery and its estate passed into private ownership.
Today, the renovated premises of the former monastery are occupied by a hotel and the main campus of the Franciscan University of Steubenville, which is based in Ohio, USA. The site also houses a museum dedicated to the history of the Gaming Charterhouse and the Carthusians.
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Visit the Ötscher-Tormauer Nature Park, home to waterfalls, rock formations, and rivers
The Ötscher-Tormauer Nature Park is the largest nature park in Lower Austria, offering a rich landscape of alpine pastures, deep gorges, rock formations, waterfalls, caves, forests, and magnificent vantage points. The park is a delight for mountain adventurers and nature lovers, with its striking limestone mountains and bubbling mountain streams.
The park is home to the Ötscher summit, which stands at 1,893 meters above sea level. Visitors can hike through wild gorges, past roaring waterfalls, and across romantic alpine pastures to reach the summit. The Ötschergräben, or the "Austrian Grand Canyon," is a popular destination within the park, known for its deep gorges, the turquoise-blue Ötscherbach stream, and numerous waterfalls.
The park offers a variety of hiking trails that showcase the natural beauty of the area. One popular hike is the loop in the Türnitz Alps that begins with a descent from the Hochbärneck mountain hut into the valley. The trail then follows the Erlauf River to the Eibenmühle and finally to the Trefflingsfall, the highest waterfall in the country. From there, the trail heads north along the Trefflingbach stream.
Another recommended hike is the loop in the Northern Limestone Alps near Mitterbach, which takes hikers through an impressive gorge landscape on the south side of the Ötscher. This landscape was formed over thousands of years by the waters of the Ötscherbach and Erlauf. The result is a breathtaking mix of rugged rocks, thundering waterfalls, and unique nature, making it one of Austria's most exciting landscapes.
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Take a trip to the Second Viennese Spring Water Channel, which provides Vienna with high-quality water
Vienna is unique in that it covers almost its entire drinking water demand from mountain springs. The Second Viennese Spring Water Channel is one of the natural attractions in the Ötscher region of Austria, where the town of Gaming is located. The Channel starts at the base of the Alps and provides high-quality water to Vienna.
The spring zone of the Second Vienna Spring Water Main encompasses the Hochschwab Massif. The Pfannbauern Spring, located in the eastern foothills of the Hochschwab Massif, was tapped and fed into the First Vienna Spring Water Main. The Second Vienna Spring Water Main was built to address renewed drinking water supply bottlenecks after the incorporation of the suburbs in 1890-92. The pipeline was constructed from 1900 to 1910, covering a distance of over 180 kilometres, and now supplies Vienna with high-quality water from the mountains.
The Second Viennese Spring Water Channel is a great attraction for those interested in engineering and infrastructure. The pipeline includes more than 100 aqueducts and 19 inverted siphons, with a length of up to 2.5 kilometres, to cross rivers and valleys both aboveground and belowground. The natural drop in altitude from the mountains to the city is utilised to deliver the water without pumps, and the gravitational energy along the course of the pipeline is even used to generate electricity.
A trip to the Second Viennese Spring Water Channel can be combined with a visit to the town of Gaming, which is known for its old Carthusian monastery. The Kartause, as it is called, was the home and burial place of Duke Albert II of the Habsburg family. It has been renovated since 1983 and now serves as a study abroad campus for the Franciscan University of Steubenville, among other educational institutions.
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Enjoy the area's natural attractions, including its location in the foothills of the Austrian Alps
Gaming, Austria, is nestled in the foothills of the Austrian Alps, offering a plethora of natural attractions and outdoor activities. The region boasts stunning scenery, with rugged granite outcrops, majestic glaciers, and summits soaring above 3000 meters. The Ötscher-Tormauer Nature Park, the largest in Lower Austria, is a stone's throw from Gaming. This natural wonderland captivates visitors with its cascading rivers, breathtaking waterfalls, and unique rock formations.
For outdoor enthusiasts, the Austrian Alps provide a playground for various pursuits. In the winter, the region transforms into a skier's paradise, with renowned ski towns offering reliable snowfall and diverse free-riding options. St. Anton, part of Austria's largest connected ski area, lures skiers worldwide with its challenging slopes and lively après-ski scene. For those seeking a more relaxed pace, there are quaint ski towns, serene lakes, and picturesque hills to explore.
When the snow melts, the Austrian Alps reveal a different kind of beauty, with lush meadows and blooming flora. Hiking trails crisscross the mountains, inviting adventurers to discover breathtaking vistas and hidden gems. The region also boasts mountain biking trails, with endless routes to explore for all skill levels. For a more leisurely experience, visitors can opt for a cable car ride, soaking in panoramic views of the majestic mountains and the pastel-coloured buildings below.
Beyond its natural splendour, the area surrounding Gaming is steeped in history and cultural significance. The old Carthusian monastery within Gaming's borders once served as the home and final resting place of Duke Albert II of the Habsburg family. Today, it stands as a testament to the region's rich past. The Kartause, acquired by Walter Hildebrand in 1983, is undergoing continuous renovation and currently serves as an educational hub, hosting students from post-Communist countries to foster cultural exchange.
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Check out the local museums, including the Franciscan University of Steubenville's study abroad campus
Gaming, Austria, is a municipality within the district of Scheibbs in Lower Austria. It is known for its old Carthusian monastery, which was the home and burial place of Duke Albert II of the Habsburg family. The Kartause, a restored 14th-century monastery in the foothills of the Austrian Alps, serves as the main campus for the Franciscan University of Steubenville's Study Abroad program. The program brings 150-200 students to the centre of Europe every semester to take rigorous academic courses, taught in English, and travel throughout the continent. The Kartause also serves as the base for the Language and Catechetical Institute, which gives students from post-Communist countries the opportunity to learn about Western countries.
The town of Gaming itself offers several attractions for visitors. The Second Viennese Spring Water Channel, which starts at the base of the Alps and provides high-quality water to Vienna, is located near Gaming. The town is also close to the Ötscher-Tormauer Nature Park, the largest of Lower Austria's parks, which features rivers, waterfalls, and rock formations. The town's economy centres on lumber, agriculture, hunting, and fishing.
The Kartause monastery in Gaming has a rich history. The Carthusians who occupied it were given many resources, including large tracts of land that were used for farming and raising livestock. Those who lived on this land paid their dues with cheese, oats, clarified butter, roof shingles, and hoops for wine barrels. The Carthusians also had fishing rights in the surrounding ponds, lakes, and rivers, extending as far as the river of Ybbs. In addition to agriculture and fishing, important sources of income for the Carthusians included wine (which was the most important export for Lower Austria at the time), vineyards, salt, iron, and forestry.
The Kartause served as the main parish for the village from 1334 to 1782, when it was suppressed and its monks were relieved of their vows. In 1983, Walter Hildebrand purchased the Kartause and began renovating it. Today, in addition to hosting the Franciscan University of Steubenville's Study Abroad program, the Kartause continues to undergo renovations to expand its capacity for the institutions that use it.
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Frequently asked questions
Gaming is a small but beautiful upcoming tourist destination in the foothills of the Austrian Alps. It is known for its old Carthusian monastery, which was the home and burial place of Duke Albert II of the Habsburg family. Today, the monastery serves as the main campus for the Franciscan University of Steubenville's Study Abroad program. Other attractions include the Second Viennese Spring Water Channel, which provides high-quality water to Vienna, and the Ötscher-Tormauer Nature Park, which offers rivers, waterfalls, and rock formations.
The nature parks offer a range of outdoor activities such as scenic railroads, sightseeing tours, factory tours, bus tours, Segway tours, walking tours, water sports, boat rentals, gondola cruises, kayaking, canoeing, parasailing, paragliding, river rafting, and tubing.
Gaming has a museum with helpful tour guides. The town also offers yoga and pilates classes, as well as thermal spas.
A settlement existed in Gaming as early as the ninth century. It was initially settled by Celts, Germanic tribes, and Romans before becoming home to Slavs. The name "Gaming" is derived from the Slavic language and can be translated as "stone" or "hollow". The land was later taken over by the Avars, who were defeated by Charlemagne at the end of the eighth century. The area was then Christianized by the Franks and Bavarians.
