Kaprun lies on the northern edge of the Hohe Tauern range, nestled in the Glockner group where the Großes Wiesbachhorn, one of Austria’s highest mountains, rises. The Kapruner Ache flows through the valley from south to north and later joins the Salzach. Parts of the municipal area belong to the Hohe Tauern National Park, while the landscape is marked by steep peaks and deep gorges.
The first traces of human settlement are found on the Bürgerkogel, where a Celtic hilltop settlement from the Bronze Age has been identified. Later, mining and trade shaped the region until Kaprun was first mentioned in writing in the 10th century as “Chataprunnin.” For centuries the place remained a modest mountain farming village until, in the 20th century, the construction of the Tauern power plant and later the development of the Kitzsteinhorn as a ski area transformed the town.
Today Kaprun is known above all as a holiday destination, drawing visitors with its glacier ski area on the Kitzsteinhorn and its historic castle. The castle, built in the 12th century and later restored, now serves as an event venue. A sad chapter in its history is the fire disaster at the Kaprun 2 glacier railway, which reminds people of the dangers posed by technical installations. Alongside cultural highlights such as the Kaprun Museum and the Sigmund-Thun Gorge, the municipality also offers modern infrastructure like the Tauern Spa Kaprun.
