Sophienalpe
The Sophienalpe ( 477 m above sea level ) is an alpine pasture in the west of Vienna and a popular excursion destination. It is named after Archduchess Sophie , the mother of Emperor Franz Joseph , who often spent the summer here. The Sophienalpe can be reached via numerous hiking trails, the Sophienalpenstrasse and the Exelberg .
In the south of the Sophienalpe is the Franz-Karl-Fernsicht (488 meters), from which numerous peaks of the Vienna Woods and the Gutenstein Alps as well as the Schneeberg (Lower Austria's highest peak) can be seen. Looking to the east, a small part of Vienna can still be seen between the Dahaberg and the hilltops of the Schottenwald .
Funicular (1872–1881)
In 1872 the manufacturer Georg Sigl had a circulating funicular built from the rear Halterbachtal near the Rieglerhütte to the Sophienalpe. This funicular overcame a height of 108 m over a length of 682 m and served as a test facility, because instead of one track with a switch, two tracks were laid along the entire route, making it possible to drive with just a few horsepower thanks to almost complete weight compensation.
The open four-seater carriages were constructed in a similar way to the carriages customary at the time and were pulled over a rope running under the center of the car. To make it recognizable and as a warning, iron balls painted red were attached to the circulating rope at regular intervals, hence the name "Knöpferlbahn". The funicular was dismantled in 1881, the former route is now a hiking trail between Rieglerhütte and Sophienalpe.
literature
- Fritz Peterka: Wien - Wienerwald , Bergverlag Rudolf Rother , Munich 2012, 7th edition ISBN 978-3-7633-4188-7
Web links
Individual evidence
- ^ Felix Czeike : Historical Lexicon Vienna . Kremayr & Scheriau, 1992.
Coordinates: 48 ° 14 '48 " N , 16 ° 13' 54.3" E