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The historical history of the Burgwies thermal bath
A relaxing vacation in Mittersill and the surrounding area has always been closely linked to health and relaxation. The fascinating history of the Heilbad Burgwies dates back to the year 1450 and is based on a beautiful, ancient legend from the region:
It was on a damp, cold, and rainy autumn day when Josef the Karner was once again traveling in the Alps with his wagon. Deep in thought, he sat on his box seat, reins firmly in hand, when suddenly the horses shied and came to a halt on the open road. Josef looked up in surprise, as it had already become late evening. In the pale glow of the moon, however, he spotted a tiny little man standing right in front of the horses. The little man politely asked, "Can I hitch a ride with my companions for a bit?" The Karner replied good-naturedly, "Hop on up, you can make yourselves comfortable in the straw on the covered wagon."
The little men all climbed onto the wagon, except for the leader, who sat up front next to him on the box seat. "Where are you coming from in this weather?" Josef asked curiously. "We are coming from the Habachtal valley and want to go up to the Stimme on the Geisberg." "Well, you still have quite a way ahead of you then. After all, I am going to Stuhlfelden to spend the night there and continue on tomorrow." "Ah," the little man said compassionately, "that isn't exactly the best either, always being on the road in the wind and weather." "Well," Josef replied with a sigh, "when I was young, it didn't bother me as much. But now I have terrible rheumatism, and every single bone hurts."
How the Legendary Sulfur Spring Emerged
And so they drove on in silence until they reached the district of Burgwies in the meantime. There, the little man suddenly said, "You can let us off here. As a thank you for taking us along so willingly, a healing sulfur spring will emerge here in Stuhlfelden in the spring. Bathe in it diligently, and you will soon be freed from all your pain." Since that memorable time, just like Josef the Karner, many health-seekers have come to Burgwies and experienced a soothing relief from their ailments.
Experience Tradition at Your Accommodation in the Hohe Tauern National Park
Today, our cozy guesthouse and the Haus Appart Burgwies have grown from this historical origin. When you book a comfortable apartment in Mittersill or Stuhlfelden with us today, you can experience this centuries-old tradition firsthand. Our traditional sulfur bath is still available to our guests today for regeneration after an active day in nature.
Plan your cultural vacation in the Pinzgau now!
In Burgwies, Christian Plenkh is the bath master.
Esmarina Oberndorfferin, the wife of Melchior Welser, an innkeeper in Stuhlfelden, is the owner of the healing bath. She had the dilapidated bath and house rebuilt and restored.
Emperor Francis I, together with his wife, Empress Caroline Augusta, and the imperial court, came to the healing bath in Burgwies. Afterwards, they set off in their six-horse carriage toward Stuhlfelden. The ceremonial welcome was to take place at Kreuzbühel. The Emperor stepped out, was greeted by the dean and the schoolmaster Loisel, and saw the vast pools of standing water, marshes, and lakes.
An involuntary sigh of regret escaped him, and he spoke the meaningful words: “My children, help must be given to you!”
Pfleger Kürsinger pointed out the further consequences of the marshland and encouraged him to take action. In fact, in the following years, the drainage of the Pinzgau region was undertaken with great determination, though it required overcoming tremendous difficulties.
In gratitude for the Emperor’s words and his support, a monument was erected on this spot. An obelisk made of green Stubach serpentine was put up, crowned with an imperial double-headed eagle and bearing cast-iron plaques with the inscription:
“My children, help must be given to you – The grateful people of Mittersill.”
Behind the monument, a spruce, a copper beech, a maple, a walnut tree, and a stone pine were planted — whose initial letters spell the name “Franz.”
Thomas Pammer acquired the bath, after which it was run by his widow and their ten sons and three daughters. Even during this period, well-known physicians and medical scholars repeatedly pointed out the healing power of the sulfur spring.
Hans Grießer purchased it. Around this time, the construction of the railway also began, and the station ‘Heilbad Burgwies’ was built so that spa guests could travel there by train. Due to this development, the toll barrier — which had previously lain across the road near the Schweizerhaus — was removed, allowing wagons to pass through without paying tolls. During the railway construction, the monument dedicated to the Emperor was moved from Kreuzbühel to a location between the tracks and the new road, where it remains to this day and can still be visited.
Alfons and Pfani Kerle purchased the healing bath at auction. Alfons continued working in Reutte, Tyrol, as a master builder in his construction company. His wife managed the establishment together with a housekeeper until her death in 1948. After that, Alfons Kerle operated it with his second wife until 1962. The marriage was dissolved, and Mrs. Kerle moved to Linz. Alfons Kerle and his sister-in-law Katharina Kerle, the wife of his brother Sepp, continued running the Heilbad Burgwies until 1965.
In May, the spouses Ernst and Anna Stipke purchased it and moved from Frankfurt to Burgwies. Over time, an additional building was constructed, and renovations were carried out repeatedly.
It is now run by Martina Racan (the daughter of Ernst and Anna) and her husband Christian Racan.
