Emperor Maximilian’s cultural heritage
The Austrian sovereigns, emperors and kings were the first to discover Lake Achensee for hunting and fishing. Maximilian I, the “first guest at Lake Achensee”, laid the foundation for tourism, which at that time, however, was only reserved for a small aristocratic elite and their entourage. Emperor Maximilian had today's Fürstenhaus built in Pertisau as a summer residence for his various hunting and fishing trips. A historical depiction - originally exhibited in the Austrian State Library - shows the emperor and his entourage on such a journey. A large replica of the painting is displayed in the staircase of the Fürstenhaus: chamois in the rugged mountains, an abundance of fish in the Lake Achensee, the emperor on horseback, and boats reminiscent of Venetian gondolas - all this conveys an impressive picture of the time the emperor spent at Lake Achensee.
In the hunting and fishing book that Maximilian had set up, the emperor also speaks highly of the region around Lake Achensee. The resulting tourism tradition can still be experienced today. The unique blend of the mountains and the lake of the Achensee region will - as history shows - keep its charm for a long time to come.
500 years after his death, in the Maximilian Year 2019, the emperor was back in the limelight. In addition, an oversized "Emperor’s Throne" was erected on the hiking trail from Achenkirch to the Köglalm in honour of Emperor Maximilian I. The viewpoint Kaiser Maximilian Rast is a popular destination that affords breathtaking views of Lake Achensee.
