Protestant service on Sunday in Gosau
Information about church history
Miners and woodworkers throughout Central Europe were considered particularly receptive to the teachings of the miner's son Martin Luther. In the second half of the 16th century, almost everyone in Gosau was Protestant. For 157 years they resisted the Counter-Reformation, kept their convictions in secret and celebrated their services in hidden caves or alpine huts. When the Salzburg Archbishop Firmian expelled more than 30,000 Protestants from their homeland in 1731, a number of Gosau residents also joined this "exile procession". Even Empress Maria Theresa had stubborn "heretics" deported to Hungary and Transylvania and sent hundreds of mothers' children to a "Christian Catholic education." Only when Emperor Joseph II issued the "Edict of Toleration" in 1781 did the era of "crypto-Protestantism" end.
The woodcutter's widow Brigitta Wallner, who was behind bars three times because of her faith, was the first of "those souls who voluntarily professed the Protestant religion on January 1st, 1782." Only eleven of a total of 173 houses remained Catholic Even today, around nine tenths of the population are Protestant. Instead of the wooden prayer house, today's Protestant church was consecrated in 1869.
Time stands still!
There is plenty to see and do in the Dachstein Salzkammergut holiday region. Old mines, breathtaking views, “Glücksplätze” (places of happiness) or spellbinding places of rest. But what can you do when the weather is not so nice? Our tip: A trip to the numerous churches and places of worship within the UNESCO World Heritage region of Hallstatt Dachstein Salzkammergut. For these spiritual places have long been special attraction and tell, in their very own special way, the changing history of the Salzkammergut. Whether at the picturesque “Kalvarienberg” church in Gosau, in the Catholic parish church in Hallstatt with its historical ossuary or in front of the Catholic church in Sankt Agatha; here you will find peace and relaxation away from the busy world. “And time stands still!"
More church services in Gosau
Catholic service on Sunday in Gosau
Sun, Mar. 30, 2025 08:30 — 09:30 Catholic church Gosau, Gosau
Your accommodation for this event
Hotels and accommodation providers in Hallstatt, Bad Goisern, Gosau and Obertraun offer the ideal room or apartment for your holidays, no matter what your tastes. Aside from establishments rated according to the international "star" scale, you will also find around Lake Hallstatt in Austria businesses that have been awarded two to four "edelweiss". The more flowers, the greater comforts you can expect. Whether you eventually find your cozy nest in an elegant 5-star luxury hotel, at comfortable guesthouse, a family-friendly apartment, or on a traditional farm, the choice is always entirely up to you.