Sankt Johann im Pongau description and photos - Austria: Salzburg (land) (Topic)

Sankt Johann im Pongau description and photos - Austria: Salzburg (land). Detailed information about the attraction. Description, photographs and a map showing the nearest significant objects. The title in English is Sankt Johann im Pongau.

Photo and description

St. Johann im Pongau is an Austrian city in the center of the federal state of Salzburg, the capital of the Pongau region. The city is home to over 10 thousand people and is the most populous city in the region. The city lies in the valley of the Salzach River.

Research shows that the first settlements in this area appeared around the second millennium BC. The first written mention of the land dates back to 1074.

During the Peasant War of 1525-26, the city was destroyed. After the expulsion of Protestants from the Archbishopric of Salzburg, which reached its zenith in 1731, 2,500 people left the city.

In the 19th century, fires raged here and almost nothing remained of the old city buildings. The neo-Gothic Cathedral of St. John the Baptist was built in 1861 under the direction of architects Georg Schneider and Joseph Weseken. Nearby, there is a chapel of St. Anne, where you can see a carved altar from the 16th century and late Gothic wooden sculptures of saints.

From 1941 until the end of World War II, a prisoner of war camp was located on the territory of Pongau. The construction of the camp was completed in the winter of 1941, it occupied an area of 8 hectares and was divided into zones (North camp, South camp). The camp contained up to 30,000 people, who were guarded by about 1,000 workers. Prisoners of the Western powers, for example, the French, were held in the Southern Camp, and Soviet prisoners of war were placed in the Northern Camp. There is still a "Russian cemetery", where about 3700 people are buried. The cemetery is located on a highway slope to the north of the motorway and the B311 junction.

St. Johann im Pongau is in great demand among tourists due to its proximity to the Alps. In winter, the resort is an important tourist destination with many hotels and restaurants. In summer, there is an opportunity to take bike rides on special routes, as well as relax on the lake.

A mountain stream flows five kilometers south of the city along the picturesque Liechtensteinklamm Gorge.

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Topic: Sankt Johann im Pongau description and photos - Austria: Salzburg (land).