Malta, Austria
Encyclopedia
Malta is a municipality in the Austria
n state of Carinthia
, in the district of Spittal an der Drau
, west of the town of Gmünd. Situated within the Hohe Tauern
mountain range, it covers most of the valley of the Malta river, a tributary of the Lieser. The municipality includes the Katastralgemeinden Dornbach, Malta and Maltaberg. With an area of about 262 square kilometres it is one of the largest in Austria.
First settled in pre-Roman times, the first documented mention of Malta was between 957 and 992 under the name Locus Malontina. The parish church of Maria Hilf Assumptio is Gothic
, built in various stages between the 13th and the 15th centuries. It has a Roman gravestone set into the wall, 15th-century paintings in the vaults, and 14th century frescoes on the walls of the choir. In the neighbourhood is Dornbach Palace (originally Gothic, but with alterations added in the 16th century); it is surrounded by a circuit of walls and a moat.
Tourism brings 123,603 overnight stays per year. Attractions include the former provost
's cottage (turned into an open-air museum) and the Koschach nature trail. In 1987 the Nationalpark Hohe Tauern was extended as far as the Ankogel mountain range and today, some 85.7 square kilometres of municipal territory are part of the national park.
, part of the Malta hydroelectric plant
run by the Verbund
power company. Tunnels lead the water to the power stations in the Möll valley at Reißeck
over 1100 m (3610 ft) below.
The dam collects a large amount of water from the surrounding mountains and also by a system of water supply tunnels bringing water from the Lieser and Möll rivers. The masonry dam
built between 1971 and 1978 with a length of 626 m (2053 ft) reaches a height above ground of 200 m (656 ft) and therefore is the tallest in Austria. The reservoir
extends 4.5 km (2.8 mi) behind the dam, holding approximately 200 million m³ of water.
There is an article on Kölnbrein Dam on the German Wikipedia (in German, of course), with much more information and many photographs
Adjacent to the dam is a restaurant and a hotel. The reservoir serves competitive rowers
for altitude training
while the dam is a popular bungee jumping
venue.
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
n state of Carinthia
Carinthia (state)
Carinthia is the southernmost Austrian state or Land. Situated within the Eastern Alps it is chiefly noted for its mountains and lakes.The main language is German. Its regional dialects belong to the Southern Austro-Bavarian group...
, in the district of Spittal an der Drau
Spittal an der Drau
Spittal an der Drau is located in the western part of the Austrian federal state of Carinthia and the administrative centre of the federal state's second largest district, Spittal an der Drau. It lies between the Lurnfeld area and the Lower Drava Valley. The city consists of the seven...
, west of the town of Gmünd. Situated within the Hohe Tauern
Hohe Tauern
The Hohe Tauern or High Tauern are a mountain range on the main chain of the Central Eastern Alps, comprising the highest peaks east of the Brenner Pass. The crest forms the southern border of the Austrian state of Salzburg with Carinthia and East Tyrol, while a small part in the southwest belongs...
mountain range, it covers most of the valley of the Malta river, a tributary of the Lieser. The municipality includes the Katastralgemeinden Dornbach, Malta and Maltaberg. With an area of about 262 square kilometres it is one of the largest in Austria.
First settled in pre-Roman times, the first documented mention of Malta was between 957 and 992 under the name Locus Malontina. The parish church of Maria Hilf Assumptio is Gothic
Gothic architecture
Gothic architecture is a style of architecture that flourished during the high and late medieval period. It evolved from Romanesque architecture and was succeeded by Renaissance architecture....
, built in various stages between the 13th and the 15th centuries. It has a Roman gravestone set into the wall, 15th-century paintings in the vaults, and 14th century frescoes on the walls of the choir. In the neighbourhood is Dornbach Palace (originally Gothic, but with alterations added in the 16th century); it is surrounded by a circuit of walls and a moat.
Tourism brings 123,603 overnight stays per year. Attractions include the former provost
Provost (religion)
A provost is a senior official in a number of Christian churches.-Historical Development:The word praepositus was originally applied to any ecclesiastical ruler or dignitary...
's cottage (turned into an open-air museum) and the Koschach nature trail. In 1987 the Nationalpark Hohe Tauern was extended as far as the Ankogel mountain range and today, some 85.7 square kilometres of municipal territory are part of the national park.
Kölnbrein Dam
The Hochalm mountain road up the steep Malta valley leads to the Kölnbrein arch damArch dam
An arch dam is a type of dam that is curved and commonly built with concrete. The arch dam is a structure that is designed to curve upstream so that the force of the water against it, known as hydrostatic pressure, presses against the arch, compressing and strengthening the structure as it pushes...
, part of the Malta hydroelectric plant
Hydroelectricity
Hydroelectricity is the term referring to electricity generated by hydropower; the production of electrical power through the use of the gravitational force of falling or flowing water. It is the most widely used form of renewable energy...
run by the Verbund
Verbund
Verbund AG, formerly known as Verbundgesellschaft or Österreichische Elektrizitätswirtschafts-AG, is Austria's largest electricity provider. Verbund covers around 40 percent of electricity demands in Austria and generates 90 percent thereof from Hydro power. In addition, Verbund operates the...
power company. Tunnels lead the water to the power stations in the Möll valley at Reißeck
Reißeck
Reißeck is a municipality in the district of Spittal an der Drau in Carinthia in Austria. Situated within the valley of the Möll River, a tributary to the Drava, Reißeck consists of the four Katastralgemeinden Kolbnitz, Zandlach, Penk and Teuchl...
over 1100 m (3610 ft) below.
The dam collects a large amount of water from the surrounding mountains and also by a system of water supply tunnels bringing water from the Lieser and Möll rivers. The masonry dam
Masonry dam
Masonry dams are dams made out of masonry; mainly stone and brick. They are either the gravity or the arch type.The largest masonry dam of the world is Nagarjunasagar Dam in India....
built between 1971 and 1978 with a length of 626 m (2053 ft) reaches a height above ground of 200 m (656 ft) and therefore is the tallest in Austria. The reservoir
Reservoir
A reservoir , artificial lake or dam is used to store water.Reservoirs may be created in river valleys by the construction of a dam or may be built by excavation in the ground or by conventional construction techniques such as brickwork or cast concrete.The term reservoir may also be used to...
extends 4.5 km (2.8 mi) behind the dam, holding approximately 200 million m³ of water.
There is an article on Kölnbrein Dam on the German Wikipedia (in German, of course), with much more information and many photographs
Adjacent to the dam is a restaurant and a hotel. The reservoir serves competitive rowers
Rowing (sport)
Rowing is a sport in which athletes race against each other on rivers, on lakes or on the ocean, depending upon the type of race and the discipline. The boats are propelled by the reaction forces on the oar blades as they are pushed against the water...
for altitude training
Altitude training
Altitude training is the practice by some endurance athletes of training for several weeks at high altitude, preferably over above sea level, though more commonly at intermediate altitudes due to the shortage of suitable high-altitude locations...
while the dam is a popular bungee jumping
Bungee jumping
Bungee jumping is an activity that involves jumping from a tall structure while connected to a large elastic cord. The tall structure is usually a fixed object, such as a building, bridge or crane; but it is also possible to jump from a movable object, such as a hot-air-balloon or helicopter, that...
venue.