Traders, pilgrims
and alpine pioneers.
Centuries ago, ‘Säumer’ caravans frequently made their way across the Alps – their pack-horses laden with valuable goods such as salt, wine and gold. When travelling from the north, they traversed the mountains via the Hochtor pass to Heiligenblut, before continuing on to Venice. At that time, the place where our hotel stands today was a rest stop and horse changing station, providing overnight lodgings for the weary ‘Säumer’ on their arduous journey south.
From 1642 onwards, our ancestors provided accommodation for the pilgrims flocking to the village to revere the famous vial of ‘Heiligen Bluet’ (holy blood) displayed within the parish church.And finally, the beginning of the 19th century brought an influx of early alpinists with their hearts set on the Grossglockner – inspired by its first ascent in 1800.
For these ambitious pioneers, finding a local guide familiar with the high-alpine terrain was essential to the success of their endeavour. In 1858, the innkeepers of the ‘Glocknerwirt’ took on the task of connecting visiting explorers with knowledgable locals. Today, the very spot in which they planned their expeditions has been turned into our Pioneers’ Bar, where modern-day adventurers can meet, relax – and gather information on how to plan their perfect holiday.
Upsurge in tourism.
In 1928, even before the construction of the Grossglockner High-Alpine Road brought a major boost to the region’s tourism, our grandfather, Hans Pichler, built the Hotel Glocknerwirt. In 1972, this evolved into the Hotel Glocknerhof – soon establishing itself as the leading hotel in Heiligenblut. The Pichler family continued to be known as trailblazers within their field, both in Heiligenblut and the wider region.
The Hotel Glocknerhof becomes the National Park Lodge Großglockner.
In 2016/2017 we start to treat the aging Hotel Glocknerhof to a thorough revitalization. To set the course for the future in architecture and design as well as in the offer for our guests. The innovative National Park Lodge Großglockner emerges from the traditional Hotel Glocknerhof.
The revitalization of the interior and expansion of the Hotel Glocknerhof are under the direction of the South Tyrolean architect Christina Biasi-von Berg. She skilfully combines the architectural basis and style elements of the 1970s with modern design. The interior of the regional rural culture, spiced up with alpine accents, is carefully integrated into the mix of styles. The result convinces with a feel-good atmosphere that invites you to relax and dream of the wilderness outside.
The future belongs into the wild.
The wilderness outside. That is Into-the-Wild, the Hohe Tauern from its unknown, wild side. With the “Into-the-Wild” program, we want to bring our guests closer to the beauty of the untouched natural landscape of the Hohe Tauern National Park in a gentle way. We would like to show them places that only a few know and let them feel nature with all their senses. In order to bring them back safely into the feel-good atmosphere of the National Park Lodge Großglockner.
