!!!Lungau

Lungau, province of Salzburg, Alpine region along the upper Mur/Mura 
river, comprises the south-east of Salzburg province and, in 
administrative terms, the political district of Tamsweg 
(1,019 km%%sup 2/%, pop. 20,622); headwater region of the River 
Mur, between the Niedere Tauern mountains in the north and west and 
the Hafnergruppe of the Hohe Tauern mountains and the Gurktal Alps in 
the south; towards the east the Lungau opens up towards Upper Styria. 
Old pass roads lead in the north-west across the Radstaedter Tauern 
pass (from Mauterndorf to Radstadt), in the south across the 
Katschberg mountain (alt. 1,641 m), Another important route is 
the Tauernautobahn (motorway) with Tauern (6,401 m) and 
Katschberg tunnels (5,439 m) near St. Michael. The 8 Lungau 
valleys are bordered by Alpine mountain chains. All settlements (with 
the exception of the municipality of Ramingstein) lie above an 
altitude of 1,000 m; most of them were established when the 
virgin forests were cleared after 1000. The Mitterberg mountain, which 
runs in a west-east direction, divides the Lungau into a northern and 
a southern part. In the north the valleys (Taurachtal, Weisspriachtal, 
Lignitztal, Goeriachtal and Lessachtal valleys) radiate from the 
principal town, Tamsweg and divide the area between the Niedere Tauern 
and the Murtal valley into valley communities. The southern part of 
the area (main town, St. Michael im Lungau) comprises the 
Zederhaus and the Rotgueldental valleys with Murwinkel are and 
Bundschuh valley. The climate is more or less continental, with severe 
winters ("Austrian Siberia"); the summer is characterised by 
considerable differences in day and night temperatures. Settlement of 
the Lungau dates back to the Bronze Age, significant continuous 
settlement has not been proved before the Roman period; in the 
7%%sup th/%  century settled by Slavs, it formed part of Carantania, 
from 1213 possession of the archbishopric of Salzburg, but 
administered from Friesach for a long time. - Economically, the Lungau 
is still a problem area fraught with structural weaknesses. 
Considerable decline of Alpine farming and forestry since the 1960s, 
important sectors: tourism, processing industries (wood processing) 
and service sector. Biggest settlements: Tamsweg, St. Michael im 
Lungau, Mariapfarr, Ramingstein and Mauterndorf. Due to its isolated 
location, many traditions and customs have been preserved 
(Samsonumzug, Preberschiessen, Perchtenlauf, Prangstangen, 
Kasmandlfahrten).

!Literature
Amt der Salzburger Landesregierung, Entwicklungsprogramm 
Lungau, 1979; W. Bischofer, Lungau - Region mit vielen Problemen: 
Bevoelkerungs- und Arbeitsmarktentwicklung von 1971-1986, 1987; E. 
Hubatschek, Almen und Bergmaehder im Oberen Lungau 1939-1984, 
%%sup 3/%1988; E. Kaner, Fuehrer durch den Lungau, 1992; E. Katschner 
et al., Die schoensten Bergtouren im Lungau und Nockgebiet mit 
beigelegtem Tourenheft, 1994.


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