Scharnstein#
Scharnstein, Upper Austria, municipality in the district of Gmunden, alt. 488 m, pop. 4,309, area 47.73 km2, situated in the Alm valley. - Regional health insurance agency, day centre of the Lebenshilfe counselling service, centre for women and girls, reptile zoo (private), Rankleiten electric power plant, Friedlmuehle power plant, airfield; wood (saw mills, pallets, furniture, pre-fabricated houses) and plastics processing, manufacture of eye glasses, machine and silo engineering, day tourism, bi-seasonal tourist resort (37,572 overnight stays in 1992). Geyerhammer scythe museum. - Parish church (1953-1956); castle with two complexes, since the 17th century only the ruins have remained; Neu-Scharnstein castle (1587, today Austrian museum of criminal justice). Cadastral community of Viechtwang.
Literature#
E. Baumgartinger, Die Herrschaft Scharnstein, 1924; idem, Scharnstein unter dem Krummstab, 1952; A. Resch (ed.), Maechtig droehnt der Haemmer Klang. Sensenindustrie und regionale Entwicklung in Scharnstein, 1991.