Power plant at the waterfall

Power Station at the waterfall

The people of Gastein ‘saw the light’ very early on. Literally. In fact, they began generating electricity here in 1886 and became the very first electrically illuminated spa town in all of Europe. Quite the sensation.

Just a few years later, at the dawn of the 20th century, calls grew louder for a high-performance power station. Built according to the plans drawn up by Leopold Führer, a student of the great architect and renowned Vienna city planner Otto Wagner, the power station next to the waterfall in the heart of Bad Gastein was ultimately opened in 1914. The first, and for a long time also the biggest hydroelectric power station in all of SalzburgerLand. Even though it was originally mainly supposed to mechanize gold-mining, it was soon supplying the entire valley with electrical power.

Bad Gastein was the first electrically lit spa town in Europe.

It remained in operation until 2004, after which the town bought the power station and designated it a historic monument. Today, the old power station is not only an impressive industrial monument, it is also a witness to the history of electricity generation in the Alpine world. But that’s far from all! Its revitalized rooms have long since been repurposed, as an inspiring location for artists and as a venue for cultural events. Though always remaining true to itself. For, even though the former turbine room has now become the home of the quite extraordinary Kraftwerk Café, during regular opening times you can still gaze in wonder at those same powerful turbines. As is so often the case in Gastein, here, too, past, present and future meld together to create a single harmonious whole.