Zell am See

Zell am See was populated already at the times of the Romans. In 740 AD, by order of the Archbishop Johannes (John) of Salzburg, monks founded the village "Cella in Bisonzio". Zell am See belongs to the eldet bayuvarian settlements of the Pinzgau. It received the rights of a market town in 1357, and its city rights on January 24, 1928.

Further important facts of Zell am See
1868 Foundation of the Voluntary Firefighters
July 30th 1875 Railway opening (Giselabahn), start of tourism in the summer months
July 15th 1879 Opening of the Hotel "Elisabeth"
1881 Start of steam navigation with boat "Elisabeth" on the lake
1885 Empress Elisabeth (Sissi) visits the Schmittenhöhe (mountain)
1887 The Municipality takes over the ship navigation on the Zeller Lake
1893 Visit of the Austrian Emperor Franz Josef I
1894 A landmark of the town - das Grand Hotel - is built in three stages
1898 Business start of the Pinzgau Local Railway (Pinzgauer Lokalbahn)
1906 Foundation of the Skiing Club Zell am See; first winter sports festival
1906 and 1910 Acquisition of electric motor boats, end of steam ship navigation
1914 Railway track becomes double tracked
1924 A light plane lands on the sheet of ice of the Zeller Lake
1928 Construction of the tennis courts (used for ice-skating and ice-hockey in winter)
January 25th 1928 Commissioning of the Schmittenhöhebahn (switchback up to the Schmitten mountain)
1928 Foundation of a chapter of the Austrian Aeronautical Association (Österr. Flugtechnischer Verein)
1930 Opening of the Hauptschule (like Secondary Modern School)
February 1937 5. Academic World Wintergames
8. Mai 1952 Opening of the Alpine Gliding School
15. Mai 1959 Opening of Airport Zell
1961 Zell receives the status of a climatic spa
1966 Big damages due to a thunderstorm, the River Schmitten transgresses its riverbed
1968 Construction of the Spa- and Sportcenter and foundation of the Europe Sports Region
1973 Ski-Worldcup (December 12th to December 20th)
1975 Rosenberg Castle (16th century) becomes the town hall
1976 Opening of the new hospital
1977 Commissioning of the one-rope switchback "Zeller Bergbahn"
1979 Consecration of the pedestrian area
1979 Worldcup Downhill Women
1981 Honorary citizen/Dr.h.c.Ferdinand Porsche
1981 Honorary citizen/Commercial Council Dr.h.c. Louise Piech-Porsche
1996 Opening of the circumnavigation tunnel (Schmittentunnel 5110 m)
2000 Award ceremony of the Sydney Olympia winners Steinacher + Hagara (Tornado-Sailing)
2004 Award ceremony of the Athens Olympia winners Steinacher + Hagara (Tornado-Sailing)
2005 Christening of the third ship on the Zeller Lake, the "Schmittenhöhe)