Leslie Massey
Wattens is a small town in the highlands of Tyrol, Austria, situated near the River Inn, about 10 miles east of Innsbruck. The town is known for being the birthplace of the Marianist priest Jakob Gapp and for its strong association with the Swarovski crystal company, which was founded by glass cutter Daniel Swarovski when he settled in Wattens in 1895. The Swarovski Kristallwelten museum, designed by André Heller, is one of the major tourist destinations in Austria, attracting visitors from around the world.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Country | Austria |
| Region | Tyrol |
| District | Innsbruck-Land |
| Municipality | Wattens |
| Population | Less than 10,000 |
| Nearby river | River Inn |
| Nearby town | Innsbruck |
| Distance from Innsbruck | 10 miles east |
| Latitude | 47.294640 |
| Longitude | 11.586556 |
| Gps coordinates | 47° 17' 40.7040'' N, 11° 35' 11.6016'' E |
| Attractions | Swarovski Crystal Worlds, Typewriter Museum, Local Museum, Swarovski Kristallwelten museum, Himmelreich open-air museum, Tyrolean Fairytale Dream Worlds |
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What You'll Learn
- Wattens is a small town in the highlands of Tyrol, Austria
- It is situated near the River Inn, about 10 miles east of Innsbruck
- The town is known for its crystal industry, specifically Swarovski
- Wattens is also home to the only typewriter museum in Austria
- The town has a rich history, with settlements dating back to pre-Roman times
Wattens is a small town in the highlands of Tyrol, Austria
Wattens has a rich history, with a settlement dating back to the Iron Age and a (pre-)industrial tradition dating back to the Middle Ages. In 1559, a paper mill was established in Wattens, the first in the Austrian lands. The town received market rights in 1895, the same year that Daniel Swarovski, a glass cutter from Bohemia, settled in Wattens and started producing crystal jewellery. The Swarovski company is now Wattens' main employer, with a large crystal-producing facility in the town.
Today, Wattens is a popular tourist destination, attracting visitors from all over the world. The Swarovski Crystal Worlds, created by André Heller, feature artist-designed rooms, interactive installations, and a garden with a maze and merry-go-round. The Typewriter Museum, the only one of its kind in Austria, is also located in Wattens, showcasing over 450 fully functional typewriters. The Museum Wattens, established in 2018, offers insights into the history of the town.
The town is also known for its natural beauty, with the famous Inn cycle path from Innsbruck to Passau leading directly through Wattens. The surrounding area offers hiking and MTB trails, providing opportunities for outdoor recreation and nature exploration.
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It is situated near the River Inn, about 10 miles east of Innsbruck
Wattens is a small town in the highlands of Tyrol, Austria. It is situated near the River Inn, about 10 miles east of Innsbruck. The town has a rich history, dating back to pre-Roman times, with evidence of settlement in the Iron Age and industrial activity in the Middle Ages. The establishment of a paper mill in 1559 marked the beginning of its industrial development, and it received market rights in 1895. Today, Wattens is known for its crystal industry, particularly the world-renowned Swarovski company, which is the town's main employer. The Swarovski Crystal Worlds, designed by André Heller, is a major tourist attraction, featuring artist-designed rooms, installations, and a crystal garden.
The town is also home to the Typewriter Museum, showcasing over 500 functional model typewriters, and the Local Museum, which offers a glimpse into the town's history. The Museum Wattens, established in 2018, showcases the cultural significance of the town. Wattens is a popular destination for hikers and nature lovers, with MTB trails leading into the surrounding mountains. The famous Inn cycle path from Innsbruck to Passau passes directly through the town, making it easily accessible to cyclists.
The Himmelreich open-air museum in Wattens is another notable attraction. This site, inhabited from the 4th to the 1st century BC, offers a glimpse into the lives of people over 2000 years ago. The excavations at Himmelreich provide valuable insights into the area's prehistoric settlement. The Hall-Wattens region, which Wattens is a part of, boasts scenic views of the Karwendel Mountains.
Located about 10 miles east of Innsbruck, Wattens enjoys a picturesque setting in the Inn Valley, extending into the Wattental valley. The town has a small community of less than 10,000 inhabitants and is characterised by its entrepreneurial spirit, with Swarovski being the most prominent example. The crystal company's worldwide success has contributed to Wattens' international reputation.
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The town is known for its crystal industry, specifically Swarovski
Wattens in Tyrol, Austria, is known for its crystal industry, specifically Swarovski. The town's history with crystal production began in 1895 when Daniel Swarovski, a glass cutter from Jiřetín pod Bukovou in Bohemia, settled in Wattens and started manufacturing crystal jewellery. The Swarovski company is now Wattens' main employer, and the town is often associated with the brand.
Swarovski's Wattens factory has played a significant role in the town's economy and put it on the map as a destination for crystal enthusiasts and tourists. In 1995, Swarovski celebrated its centenary by opening the Swarovski Crystal Worlds (Kristallwelten), a theme park spanning 7.5 hectares that showcases the brand's brilliance and beauty. The park features various contemporary artworks incorporating crystals, such as "Prologue III", a huge steel wheel with thousands of crystal raindrops, and "El Sol", made from 2,880 Swarovski crystals.
The Swarovski Crystal Worlds also include the Chambers of Wonder, a captivating brand experience that takes visitors on a journey through the history, innovation, and savoir-faire of Swarovski. The Chambers offer a joyful world of art installations and dazzling exhibits, such as "Carousel", adorned with millions of Swarovski crystals, and "Crystal Cloud & Mirror Pool", featuring clouds of crystal made from approximately 800,000 manually mounted crystals.
The Giant's underground world, with its blue-painted walls, displays various artworks, including Salvador Dalí's "The Persistence of Memory" and the Crystal Wall, an 11-metre-high and 42-metre-long wall adorned with crystals. Visitors can also see the world's largest cut crystal, weighing 62 kg, and the world's smallest crystal, with just 0.7 millimetres. The Swarovski Crystal Worlds store is one of the largest in the world, offering a unique fusion of shopping and art installations.
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Wattens is also home to the only typewriter museum in Austria
Wattens, a market town in the Inn Valley in North Tyrol, Austria, is home to the only typewriter museum in the country. The Typewriter Museum Wattens, founded in 2002, showcases the development of the typewriter and writing. The museum features over 450 fully functional typewriters from the Jörg Thien collection, with some sources claiming the number to be over 500. The typewriters on display date from 1884 to the present day, providing a comprehensive history of the machine's evolution.
The exhibits are displayed in three showcases, with some being true rarities. Among the highlights are the wooden typewriter from 1868, created by South Tyrolean Peter Mitterhofer, who is regarded as the inventor of the typewriter. Visitors can also view electronic typewriters, special machines like Braille typewriters, teletypewriters, and scramblers. The museum offers demonstrations of teletypewriters and cutaway models that reveal the inner workings of these machines.
The Typewriter Museum Wattens is open all year round from Tuesday to Friday, with group tours available outside regular opening hours. Admission is free, and the facility is wheelchair accessible. The museum is a must-visit for those interested in antique devices and the history of writing.
The town of Wattens itself has a rich history, with a settlement dating back to pre-Roman times. The establishment of a paper mill in 1559 and the success of the Swarovski crystal company in the 19th and 20th centuries further boosted the local economy. Today, Wattens attracts tourists from around the world, offering destinations such as the Swarovski Crystal Worlds, the Local Museum, and the Typewriter Museum.
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The town has a rich history, with settlements dating back to pre-Roman times
Wattens, a small settlement in the west of Austria, has a rich history, with settlements dating back to pre-Roman times. Located in the Lower Inn Valley of North Tyrol, Wattens is about 13 km (8 miles) east of Innsbruck. The town is characterised by a large family of entrepreneurs and is known for being the homeland of Swarovski crystals. The market town Wattens in the Inn Valley extends into the Wattental valley, which was settled in pre-Roman times. The area has a long history, with the name "Wattens" first mentioned as "Vuattanes" in a 930 deed when the region was part of the German stem duchy of Bavaria.
The Himmelreich open-air museum showcases the town's rich history. The site has been awarded the title of a place of power in the Hall-Wattens region. The museum features the excavations of a settlement from prehistoric times in Wattener Himmelreich. This settlement dates back to the La Tène era, a period of cultural development in Central Europe. It was inhabited from the 4th to the 1st century BC and was destroyed by fire. The museum in Himmelreich is freely accessible at all times.
Wattens has a settlement history dating back to the Iron Age and an industrial tradition from the Middle Ages. The town has a population of about 7,500 to 10,000 people. It is home to several museums, including the Typewriter Museum, which has over 450 antique typewriters, and the Museum of the City's History, which offers insights into Wattens' past and allows visitors to explore the prehistoric settlement.
The Swarovski Crystal Worlds, Austria's second most popular museum, is a major attraction in Wattens. It was opened in 1995 to commemorate the centenary of the Swarovski crystal glass company. The town is also known for its connection to Marianist priest Jakob Gapp, who openly rejected the Austrian Anschluss to Nazi Germany in 1938.
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Frequently asked questions
Wattens is a small town in the highlands of Tyrol, Austria. It is situated between Highway 171 and motorway A12, about 10 miles east of Innsbruck.
Wattens is known for being the birthplace of the crystal company, Swarovski. It is also known for its picturesque small settlement, with a historic downtown and various tourist attractions.
Wattens is home to the Swarovski Crystal Worlds, which includes a museum, a giant statue at its entrance, and various crystal-themed attractions. The town also has the Typewriter Museum, the only one of its kind in Austria, and the Local Museum with its "Chamber of Wonders".
Wattens has a population of about 7,600 people.
While there is limited information on specific places to eat in Wattens, the town does offer a few nice places to eat, along with accommodation options for visitors.
