Holiday in Gerlos
Gerlos vacations - a time when the days barely melt away, like honey dripping from a spoon. Gerlos is located high atop the Zillertal - a resort village both in summer and winter. The countless recreational opportunities guarantee an incomparable and unforgettable vacation for the whole family.
History of Gerlos
The name "Gerlos" comes from "Saltus Gerlaise". Ger = wedge of land, laise = bed of a wildwater stream, first documented in 1154. First settlement was by farmers in 1309. Meager settlement of the Zillertal actually began 1200 - 800 BC. Nowadays, Gerlos has a population of around 800 people, approx. 30 farms, 93 hotels - inns - guesthouses and around 6000 guest beds. Until 1803, the Gerlos Pass was the only direct road link between Tyrol and Salzburg. In 1862, 3 inns already existed: the "Alpenrose", "Oberes Wirtshaus" "beim Gaspinger". 1890, there were still only 30 taverns in the entire Ziller Valley. Construction of a "real road" began in 1912. After contending with numerous problems, the road was not completed until 1962. Since 1816, the Gerlos Pass has formed the border between Tyrol and Salzburg, separating the Zillertal Alps from the Kitzbühler Alps. In 1967, the Durlassboden Reservoir was completed. It is 6 km in length, 55 metres deep and holds 52 million m³ of water!
The nearby, 380m-high Krimml Waterfalls are the highest falls in the Eastern Alps. The 950 km-long Zillertal Alps are home to 85! 3-thousand-metre peaks! The Edelweiss blooms in the countryside around Gerlos, up to elevations of 3,000 metres. The highest point in the borough of Gerlos is the Reichenspitze with a height of 3,303 metres. There has been a house of worship here since 1470, but a parish priest only since 1679. Gerlos is the highest parish in the Salzburg archdiocese. The church, built to incorporate Baroque architecture, was constructed between 1730 and 1735. Gerlos also boasts the highest sailing school in Europe. Since 1923, the village has also had its own ski school. Tourism of note has only been a factor in Gerlos since around 1950.
The name Gerlosperle was first used by our grandfather Bruno Platzer in the 1950s. Among other things, he ran a lemonade production at that time. His "Kracherl", as carbonated lemonade was called in dialect, had the name "Gerlosperle".