In the lake region of the Salzkammergut there is a picturesque Wolfgangsee lake on the shore of which, at the foot of the Schafberg mountain, lies the small but charming town of St. Wolfgang.
It was founded back in 976 by St. Wolfgang of Regensburg, who was a monk and lived as a hermit in the place where the city now stands.
Here he erected a small temple, with which an interesting legend is associated. It says that the devil himself helped Wolfgang in the construction. The saint for a long time could not choose a place for the temple, since there was such beauty around that finding the very best was difficult. And then he thought that there should be a prediction from above. To do this, he decided, without looking to throw an ax and in the place where he fell, begin construction. So he did, but the ax fell far, he had to look for it and it turned out that he was lying right on the lake. It was problematic to build here, but you can’t disobey, this is a sign from above.
The devil found out about this and offered his help; Wolfgang had to accept it. But, as we understand it, help from such a character is never free. In return, the saint had to give him the soul of the one who was the first to cross the threshold of a new church.
It was impossible to allow this, the monk prayed earnestly, God heard his prayers and sent a white wolf to the temple, who was the first to enter the church. The devil was furious, but nothing to do, he grabbed the wolf and dragged him into the hole in the ceiling. To this day, ceiling frescoes with plots of this legend and a mysterious hole in the arch of the temple have been preserved.
The monk became a priest, and then the archbishop of Regensburg. In 1052 he was canonized. After this, the rumor about the miracles performed by him spread throughout the world and pilgrims reached the city, which contributed to the development of the city. Therefore, he is very revered here and the city was named after him.
St. Wolfgang was also successful with the powers that be. For several centuries, representatives of the largest ruling dynasties of the old world rested in it; accordingly, it was also known among European aristocrats and bohemians.
The unique atmosphere of the small town, its beauty, to this day attracts vacationers and tourists.
For "toy", picturesque houses that are more like fabulous scenery, St. Wolfgang is called "gingerbread." The main work on the restoration of buildings was carried out after the fifties of the last century and after that the buildings are maintained in excellent condition.
You can stroll here slowly. One long, very picturesque street passes through the city, and the side streets abut either the lake or the mountains and are not inferior to it in beauty. The population is only about three thousand, but in the tourist season it increases several times, if not more.
Without exception, all the houses in the city look nice and neat, full of bright colors. Each of those seen deserves attention. Many houses are painted with frescoes.
And flowers, flowers ... They are on the balconies, in the flower beds! The houses are surrounded by very neat gardens.
Many hotels, both large and small. All the ground floors are occupied by shops and cafes. It is difficult to walk past the windows without stopping, as they attract attention.
I liked the colorful national costumes, which are sold both in specialized departments and in small shops. They are expensive, some are very expensive, but the Austrians like to dress up in them not only for special occasions, but also in everyday life.
Do not take your eyes off souvenirs. A lot of various figures from handmade soap, which are made by Benedictine monks. I also liked the candles. I especially liked one, but the price was such that it was as if the Pope had made it - I didn’t buy it. ((
And how many items for the garden, flower beds! Eyes run up. Mistresses here compete with each other in decorating their homes and plots, they cherish traditions and care about the appearance of their courtyards.
So, looking at houses and shop windows, we reached the central Market Square, where all the main attractions are located. One of them is the most beautiful and most famous hotel "White Horse".
He was dedicated to the eponymous operetta of Ralph Benacki, about the intricate love story taking place within the walls of the hotel, written in 1930. A film was made, then in different years remakes were made (the last in 2013) and musicals were staged, thanks to which the White Horse became popular.
The film showed that life in the Austrian Alps is a real idyll, so it is not surprising that soon after the premiere the flow of tourists increased here.
The white horse figurine became the brand of St. Wolfgang, it is sold here in all souvenir shops.
A special attraction, of course, is the church of St. Wolfgang, one of the few in the world that has two altars. In the fifteenth century, by order of the pope, the Gothic altars were replaced by baroque, but here a carved altar with multiple carvings, the work of Michael Pacher