Kanzelhöhe

The Kanzelhöhe rises steeply above the Ossiacher See in Carinthia, its summit standing ten kilometres north-east of Villach. The 1,524-metre peak is a fore-summit of the Gerlitzen range and commands wide views over the lake and surrounding Alps. A cable-car from Annenheim on the shore makes the top easily reachable, while a winding mountain road climbs from Treffen on the western flank. At the summit stands a hotel and, a little apart, the Kanzelhöhe Solar Observatory built between 1941 and 1942 for the University of Graz. The observatory belongs to the university’s Institute of Astrophysics and Geophysics and specialises in solar research. Its isolated position above the treeline keeps the air clear of city lights and dust. Visitors reach the top by cable-car or by the serpentine road, both offering glimpses of the lake below. The hotel provides food and lodging, while the observatory itself is open to the public at set times. From the viewing terrace the whole Ossiacher See and the Karawanken mountains can be seen stretching to the horizon.