National Inventory
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National Inventory in Austria
Since Austria ratified the Convention, the Austrian Commission for UNESCO has been entrusted with creating a National Inventory of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Austria. Thanks to their unique qualities, each listed tradition contributes to cultural diversity beyond the nation’s borders and conveys the richness of Austria’s living cultural heritage in an understandable manner.
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We found 178 entries
Traditional craftsmanship Salzburg Styria Tyrol Upper Austria 2025 New entry
Chamois tannery
Chamois tanning of wild animal skins holds a technologically unique position within the range of tanning techniques. Historically, cod liver oil—now replaced by a blend of fish oils—was used as the…
Social practices Carinthia 2025 New entry
Striezel throwing in Stein im Jauntal / Metanje štručk v Kamnu v Podjuni
The practice of ‘Striezelwerfen’ (throwing ‘striezel’, small rye loaves) in the village of Stein im Jauntal/Kamen v Podjuni traces its origins to the charitable foundation established by Hildegard von…
Social practices Salzburg 2025 New entry
Preber shooting in Tamsweg
Preber shooting is a water target shooting competition held at Lake Prebersee in Tamsweg. Participants aim at the reflection in the water in an attempt to hit the targets on the shore. The practice…
Social practices Styria 2025 New entry
The Thomasnikolo procession in Gams
The ‘Thomasnikolo’ (St. Thomas character) procession takes place in Gams bei Hieflau on 21st December, coinciding with both St. Thomas’ Day and the longest night of the year. Together with his…
Social practices Vienna 2025 New entry
Tuntathlon in Vienna
The Tuntathlon in Vienna is a half day street festival, held annually since 2001, featuring (pseudo-)athletic competitions including handbag throwing, high heel relay races, and synchronised ironing.…
Social practices Carinthia 2025 New entry
The St. George’s hunt / Šentjurja jagat
The St. George’s hunt (‘Georgijagen’/‘Šentjurja jagat’) is an old shepherding and gift-seeking practice, which is observed in the area surrounding the market town of Finkenstein on Lake Faaker…
Social practices Tyrol 2024
New Year's apology card practice in Hall in Tirol
Dating back to the beginning of the 19th century, the New Year's apology card (NYAC), which is an artistically designed print, exempted people/institutions from the social obligation of extending New…
Social practices Vienna 2024
Viennese sausage stand culture
The Viennese sausage stand (‘Wiener Würstelstand’) culture came into being at the beginning of the 18th century when warm sausages were sold by the so-called ‘Bratlbrater’ (job title given to people…
Social practices Styria 2024
Boat-placing
The practice of boat-placing (‘Schifferlsetzen’) has its roots in the region Mariazeller Land and takes place around St Nicholas' Day. In the days leading up to the celebration, children make small…
Performing arts throughout Austria 2024
The production and practice of playing the fife
The fife, known as the ‘Seitelpfeife’ or the ‘Schwegel’ in German, is a traditional woodwind instrument with six finger holes and is mainly played in the Alpine region, particularly in the…
Social practices Styria 2024
Plague candle procession in St. Benedikten on Sacred Heart Sunday
The plague candle procession, organised by the Community of Church Farmers, takes place during a field mass as part of a Corpus Christi service on Sacred Heart Sunday. On this occasion, the plague…
Social practices throughout Austria 2024
Tarock: ‘Königrufen’ (Call the King)
‘Königrufen’ (Call the King) is a card game from the tarot family—usually referred to as the Tarock family in this region. It has been played throughout Austria for more than two centuries and is…
Traditional craftsmanship throughout Austria 2024
Knowledge and practices of farriers
In the past, the art of farriery originally contributed to the survival of humankind by utilising horses as riding, draft, and pack animals. Nowadays, the focus is primarily on the use of horses in…
Social practices Lower Austria 2024
Carrying the winegrower's flag and erecting the guardian tree in Wolkersdorf in the Weinviertel
Every year, the ‘Hauerfahne’ (large winegrowers' flag) is carried at the Corpus Christi procession in Wolkersdorf. Eight people from the circle of Wolkersdorf ‘Hauerburschen’ and ‘Hauermädchen’…
Traditional craftsmanship Carinthia Salzburg Styria Tyrol Lower Austria Upper Austria Vorarlberg 2024
‘Siniweln’ (log carpentry). Knowledge surrounding log construction using the sinking model
In the Alpine region, wall structures encompass various forms of stone masonry as well as block constructions made of softwood. Farmers and woodcutters use the straightest possible, debarked ‘round’…
Traditional craftsmanship throughout Austria 2023
Knowledge about the production of wooden shingles: shingle splitting—’Schindel kliabn’
Wooden shingle roofs are particularly eye-catching features of landscapes. The task of splitting shingles has been passed on for generations and is practiced by regional alpine farmers and forest…
Social practices Upper Austria 2023
Guild practices of the carpenters of Windischgarsten
A range of guild practices have been carried out by the carpenters of Windischgarsten since 1498. On 19th March each year, the anniversary of the carpenters' guild, a mass is celebrated in the parish…
Knowledge concerning nature and the universe throughout Austria 2023
Orchard farming in Austria
Orchard farming, as it is practised today, predominantly emerged from the 17th century onwards. European orchards stem from agricultural and cultural development and are closely tied to human…
Traditional craftsmanship Lower Austria Upper Austria 2023
‘Loahmmandel’ from the Steyr-Garsten, Enns, and Steyrtal region
‘Loahmmandel’ or ‘Loahmmandl’ are nativity scene figures made of clay. They are either modelled in the style of typical regional nativity scene figures or moulded from existing models and worked in a…
Traditional craftsmanship Vorarlberg 2023
Production and wearing of the Montafon traditional costume
The Montafon ‘Schäppele’, a small crown composed of silver and gold, crimped metal threads, and small metal flowers as well as the Montafon ‘Mäßle’ are distinctive features of the Montafon traditional…
Performing arts throughout Austria 2023
Sound and musical performance practice of Austrian brass bands
The sound and musical performance practice of Austrian brass bands first blossomed in the 19th century within the regimental bands of the imperial and royal infantry regiments. The typical sound of…
Social practices Lower Austria 2022
GUILD DAY OF THE BUTCHERS AND LIEBFRAUEN-BROTHERHOOD IN GARS AM KAMP
The guild of butchers in Gars am Kamp has existed since 1535. Despite the formal abolition of guilds, several practices continue to be observed, including guild day, the wreath of honour and seal of…
Knowledge concerning nature and the universe throughout Austria 2022
THE KNOWLEDGE AND PRACTICE OF UNDERTAKERS
Funerals are an essential element of human culture and are part of all our lives. Undertakers are the active bearers of funeral and cemetery culture, both of which are characterised by local and…
Social practices Tyrol 2022
NATIVITY SCENE TRADITION IN WENNS
Making and displaying nativity scenes is a tradition that has been associated with the village of Wenns for more than 150 years. From the "Wenner Kastenschneekrippe" [box snow nativity scene] to the…
Social practices Lower Austria 2022
THE WEINVIERTEL’S CELLAR CULTURE
From "Köllamaunn" to the "Köllastund" and the "Köllapartie" to the "Köllajausn"—the Weinviertler cellar lanes represent a living and working space for the local population. The Weinviertel’s cellar…
Social practices Lower Austria 2022
PILGRIMAGE OF THE MOSTVIERTEL’S GOLDEN BONNET AND TRADITIONAL COSTUME GROUPS
The annual pilgrimage of the Mostviertel’s golden bonnet and traditional costume groups has taken place on 15 August for more than 60 years. The highlight is the collective entry of all 1,000 pilgrims…
Knowledge concerning nature and the universe Lower Austria 2022
TRADITIONAL IRRIGATION IN the Steinfeld community of THERESIENFELD
Since the foundation of Theresienfeld in 1763, irrigation has played a formative role in the lives of the local population. The "Tirolerbach” artificial irrigation system is still used to irrigate…
Social practices Tyrol 2022
THE BELLRINGERS OF PATSCH
The Bellringers of Patsch (“Patscher Schellenschlagerinnen”) carry out their traditional carnival procession each year on Fat Thursday. The bellringers, who are masked and line up in rows of two in…
Knowledge concerning nature and the universe Upper Austria 2022
ROWING DOWNSTREAM AND RETURNING UPSTREAM BY HORSE-DRAWN BOAT ON THE TRAUN
For centuries, the shipping of salt on the Traun shaped the rhythm and practices of the towns along the river. This involved rowing and manoeuvring the mighty salt barges, which weighed several…
Traditional craftsmanship throughout Austria 2022
CRAFT OF AUSTRIAN CONFECTIONERY
Much of a confectioner’s work is still manual to this day. This craft has been handed down over generations and has taken on a regional, company-specific, and transnational character. It requires…
Traditional craftsmanship throughout Austria 2022
FREEHAND BLACKSMITHING
Fire, air, water, and earth—freehand blacksmithing involves working with all four elements. Today, as in the past, the process of working wrought iron and steel involves beating or pressing it by hand…
Traditional craftsmanship Vorarlberg 2021
Production of Bregenz Forest Juppen and Wearing of Women’s Traditional Dress
The term Juppe is used to describe a typical traditional women’s costume from the Bregenz Forest which is worn in various ways. Glossy linen produced in the region is used to create the pleats. One of…
Traditional craftsmanship throughout Austria 2021
Historical and Decorative Painting Techniques Using Traditional Materials
The history of historical and decorative painting techniques using traditional materials reaches back to the era of cave painting, and the associated knowledge and skills are still practiced today.…
Social practices throughout Austria 2021
Gautschen
At the end of a printer’s training, the Gautsch celebration takes place. The water baptism is the highlight of this celebration. In this tradition, the Kornuten (‘apprentices’) are grabbed and dunked…
Traditional craftsmanship Salzburg 2021
Garnierspenzer, Hat, and Steppmieder
Since around 1850, the Garnierspenzer (lit. ‘garnished spencer’) and Steppmieder (‘quilted bodice’) have featured in the festive traditional costumes of the Alpine regions of Pinzgau, Pongau, and…
Performing arts Lower Austria 2021
Traismauer Nativity Play
The Traismauer Nativity Play dates back to the year 1810 and is now one of the last remaining rod puppet theatres in Austria. Up to 30 people are involved in the show, including a choir, vocal…
Knowledge concerning nature and the universe throughout Austria 2021
Knowledge of Alpinism and Skills of Mountain and Ski Guides
The main features of the Steppmieder and Garnierspenzer costumes date back to the 17th century and reflect the bourgeois and courtly fashions of that era. Today, the entire costume encompasses eight…
Performing arts Lower Austria 2021
South Bohemian Brass Band Music in Brand-Nagelberg
South Bohemian brass band music in Brand-Nagelberg is a musical tradition formed through close musical exchange with Czech musicians. This transborder collaboration, which still exists today, also led…
Traditional craftsmanship throughout Austria 2021
Manual Graphic Printing
Manual graphic printing encompasses the techniques of relief printing, intaglio printing, planographic printing, screen printing, and mixtures thereof. The development of these techniques began during…
Traditional craftsmanship throughout Austria 2021
The Custom Tailoring of Men’s Full Evening Dress
In Europe, the custom tailoring of men’s full evening dress looks back upon 300 years of history. The origins of this style of formal attire can be found in England, where the ‘frock’ was first worn…
Traditional craftsmanship Burgenland Carinthia Salzburg Styria Tyrol Lower Austria Upper Austria Vorarlberg 2021
Knowledge of Artisanal Millers
The knowledge of artisanal millers includes a great deal of practice and experience, experimentation, and technical knowledge about the processing of various grains into flour, coarse grit, wholegrain…
Social practices throughout Austria 2021
Nativity Scene Traditions in Austria
The origins of the nativity scene tradition as a nationwide phenomenon can be traced back to Austria’s first display of this kind, which was set up in Innsbruck in 1609. In the following centuries,…
Traditional craftsmanship throughout Austria 2021
Dry Stone Walling
The craft of dry stone walling has been documented in writing in Austria since the 12th century and is also reflected in relevant landscape paintings. Historically, this practice employed locally…
Social practices Tyrol 2021
Anklöpfeln (Knocking on Doors) in Stans
Anklöpfeln is a unique and dramaturgically structured tradition of knocking on doors which has been documented in the Tyrolean community of Stans since the mid-19th century. It takes place every 10…
Performing arts Styria 2020
Bad Mitterndorf Saint Nicholas Play
The Saint Nicholas Play in Bad Mitterndorf is presented each year on 5 December at various locations. The play is acted out in indoor spaces as well as in the form of a procession. The performance was…
Social practices Burgenland 2020
Stinatz Wedding - Stinjačka svadba
When they settled in the Southern Burgenland town of Stinatz/Stinjaki in the 16th century, Croats brought specific elements with them that, influenced by regional characteristics as well, made the…
Social practices Vienna 2020
The Vintner’s Crown and the guardian tree in Neustift am Walde
The customs of the vintners in the Lower Austrian town of Neustift am Walde date back to the reign of Empress Maria Theresa (1740-1780). The Neustift Fair is held annually on the feast day of the…
Traditional craftsmanship throughout Austria 2020
Craft of bookbinding
The knowledge surrounding the art of bookbinding was developed and passed on by monks in medieval monasteries. The handwritten books and their book covers were often elaborately decorated with gems…
Traditional craftsmanship throughout Austria 2020
The art and craft of stonemasonry
For millennia, stonemasons have been responsible for the creation of countless religious and secular buildings and pass on their knowledge surrounding the use and cutting of stone, a naturally…
Knowledge concerning nature and the universe Lower Austria 2020
“Odlatzbia Oröwen” in the Wiesenwienerwald
While the wild service tree ("Sorbus torminalis") occurs in many parts of Europe, it is very rare today and found for the most part only in woods. In Lower Austria, where the tree is referred to as…
Knowledge concerning nature and the universe throughout Austria 2020
Kneipp therapy as traditional knowledge and practice according to the theories of Sebastian Kneipp
The Kneipp therapy (also known as “Kneipping”) is a traditional curative method that promotes the prevention of illness and the preservation of health. It is aimed at stimulating circulation,…
Social practices Tyrol 2020
The Amras “Matschgerer”
According to sources, the custom of the Amras “Matschgerer”, celebrated each year during the carnival season, dates back to the 17th century. This tradition, which has its roots in the village…
Traditional craftsmanship Upper Austria 2020
"Fuhr" on Lake Hallstatt
The wooden, flat-bottomed boats called "Fuhren" have a long history on Lake Hallstatt as a means of transporting goods and people. As early as the 13th century, following the reopening of the salt…
Traditional craftsmanship Upper Austria 2021
Traditional Craftsmanship in Gmunden: Pottery Flaming
The term ‘flaming’ (Flammen) denotes the application of a recognisable pattern to ceramic objects. Recurrent decorative elements could be found on pottery in the area around Gmunden as early as in…
Traditional craftsmanship throughout Austria 2019
Sweeping, Climbing, Roughcasting, and Burning Out Creosote in Chimneys
Climbing ("Beschliefen" [slipping through/up] or "Besteigen" [climbing]), sweeping, and roughcasting chimneys as well as conducting controlled creosote burn-outs are manual working techniques…
Social practices Lower Austria 2019
In d’Grean gehen – An Outing in the Greenery
On Easter Monday, the northern Weinviertel region’s winemakers invite people to the various cellar lanes ("Kellertrift") for an “outing in the greenery” (referred to as "in d’Grean gehen" or "Grean…
Social practices Lower Austria 2019
"Ladumtragen" – The Winemakers’ Guild Chest Procession in Mistelbach
The Mistelbach Winemakers’ Guild (Mistelbacher Hauerzunft) was founded in 1698 as an interest group of independent winemakers. Its original purpose was to ensure the observation of rights and…
Traditional craftsmanship throughout Austria 2019
Quill Embroidery (Restoration, Further Development, and Use)
Quill embroidery is a special technique of ornamentation that was developed over 200 years ago and experienced its heyday during the 19th century. To this day, this special technique—which requires…
Social practices Vienna 2019
The Culture of the Viennese "Heuriger"
"Heuriger" culture encompasses social practices surrounding the Viennese "Heuriger" taverns, which are predominantly family-run businesses that are handed down from generation to generation. The…
Social practices Lower Austria Vienna 2019
"Jauken" – A Traditional High-Flying Pigeon Sport with a Viennese Breed of High-Flying Pigeon
The term "Jauken" denotes the breeding, training, and competitive flying of the Vienna long-faced tumbler, a high-flying pigeon breed. The knowledge and practices relating to this tradition’s special…
Social practices Upper Austria 2019
Ceremonial Marksmen in Upper Austria
The traditions of Upper Austria’s ceremonial marksmen are diverse and characterised by various regionally specific elements such as traditional costumes, the "Schützentanz" [Marksmen’s Dance], and…
Performing arts Vienna 2018
Improvisatory theatre on the Tschauner-Bühne
The Tschauner-Bühne, known as Europe’s last remaining stage devoted to improvisatory theatre, is located in Vienna’s 16th district. Every day from June to September, this open-air venue hosts what are…
Social practices Carinthia 2018
Traditions of the Untergailtaler Kirchtag and traditional costumes in the Untergailtal / Zilski Žegen in Ziljska Noša
The type of kermesse fair that take place annually between May to October in numerous communities of the Lower Gail Valley is known as the Untergailtaler Kirchtag / Ziljski žegen. These fairs consist…
Performing arts Vienna 2018
Round Dancing on ice in Vienna
Round dancing on ice is an on-ice version of ballroom dancing performed on Viennese ice skating rinks within a defined dancing circle. Anyone who possesses the necessary skills can participate, and…
Traditional craftsmanship throughout Austria 2018
The Paver’s trade
The paver’s trade is a sustainable form of craftsmanship that has for centuries involved manual labour but nonetheless continued to develop as technology has advanced. The paver’s trade became its own…
Traditional craftsmanship Carinthia 2018
Larch resin harvesting
The process by which larch resin and/or larch resin balsam is extracted is a tree-friendly one. First, a tap hole is drilled into a resin pocket in a tree’s trunk; this hole is then stopped with a…
Traditional craftsmanship Vienna Lower Austria 2018
The Goldbeater’s craft (Gold, silver, and metal beaters)
Gold leaf is produced by means of a centuries-old handcrafting technique that, in today’s Austria, is practiced by only two remaining goldbeating workshops (which are located in Vienna and in…
Traditional craftsmanship Upper Austria Vienna 2018
Cathedral workshops in Austria (St. Stephan in Vienna and the Mariendom in Linz)
For centuries, the cathedral workshops ("Dombauhütten") of St. Stephan in Vienna and the Mariendom in Linz have been places where the restoration and maintenance techniques relevant to historical…
Knowledge concerning nature and the universe Tyrol 2018
Meadow irrigation in Tyrol
This submission deals with a centuries-old method of irrigating inner-Alpine dry areas. Water is diverted from a brook into the "Hauptwaal" [main canal], through which it flows downhill at a shallow…
Social practices Salzburg 2018
The cattle offering on Saint George’s day
The cattle offering (Viehumtragen) is a votive custom that has been practiced on 23 April (St. George’s Day) at the parish of St. Georgen in the Pinzgau region since time immemorial, being handed down…
Social practices Burgenland 2018
Flag-throwing in Neckenmarkt
Flag-throwing in Neckenmarkt is a centuries-old practice carried out above all on the Tag der Fahne [“Flag Day”] and on Umgangssonntag (the Sunday after Corpus Christi), but also to mark other…
Social practices Lower Austria 2018
Candlemas singing in southern Lower Austria
Candlemas singing is a cadging custom practiced in the night between 1 and 2 February (Candlemas) in around 20 communities in southern Lower Austria; in each of these communities, one or more groups…
Oral traditions Tyrol 2018
Local toponyms in the federal province of Tyrol
For over 2,000 years, local toponyms have facilitated orientation and communication for people living in Tyrol. The transmission of knowledge regarding names and locations is ensured via people’s…
Performing arts Upper Austria 2018
The “Steyrer Kripperl” nativity play
The Steyrer Kripperl is one of the German-speaking world’s last remaining plays for rod puppets. It has been performed for over a century in a permanent location, the building known as the Innerberger…
Social practices Styria 2018
Traditions of the miners and iron smelters along the Steirische Eisenstraße (Styrian Iron Route)
The cultural heritage of mine workers, who have their own special dances and songs as well as their own traditional costumes for holidays and celebrations, developed over many centuries along the…
Knowledge concerning nature and the universe Tyrol 2017
The Zweidrittelgericht in Landeck
The Zweidrittelgericht [two-thirds court] is a social practice for managing alpine pastures where young cattle and sheep are grazed that to this day functions according to time-honoured historical…
Performing arts throughout Austria 2017
The Viennese Waltz – Played, Danced, and Sung
The Viennese waltz is a component of numerous rituals in the life of Austrian society: the strains of the The Blue Danube mark the first moments of the new year, Viennese balls are opened with a waltz…
Performing arts Salzburg 2016
Performance Practice at the Salzburg Marionette Theatre
Puppetry has a centuries-old tradition in many cultures and is considered the most highly developed form of puppet and figure theater. The Salzburg Marionette Theatre has been devoting itself to this…
Social practices Styria 2016
Carnival in the Ausseerland region
"Fasching" [Carnival] in the Ausseerland region takes place from "Fasching" Sunday to "Fasching" Tuesday. Three main types of figures play significant roles in these festivities: "Trommelweiber"…
Performing arts Vienna 2017
The Educational and Choral Tradition of the Vienna Boys’ Choir
The original function of the Vienna Boys’ Choir was to perform music—above all sacred music—for the Imperial court. The choir still performs this function today at Sunday morning mass at the Wiener…
Traditional craftsmanship throughout Austria 2017
Production of Traditionally Hand-Crafted Terrazzo
Terrazzo is a long-lived, heavy-duty, and low-maintenance type of flooring that can be decorated in a broad diversity of patterns and is produced without chemical additives. To create a terrazzo…
Oral traditions Vorarlberg 2017
The Dialect of Montafon
The Montafon dialect ("Muntafunerisch") represents a special case among Austrian’s German dialects. Embedded in Vorarlberg’s landscape of Alemannic-Swabian dialects, it is distinguished by its…
Traditional craftsmanship throughout Austria 2017
Gilding and Faux Painting
Gilding and faux painting have been practiced since ancient times in order to make objects appear as if made from solid gold or other materials. There are various techniques for doing so, such as…
Performing arts Styria Lower Austria Upper Austria Vienna 2017
Viennese Tuning and Playing Technique for the Zither
Both the stringing and the playing technique associated with the Viennese tuning of the zither arose in mid-19th-century Vienna and were first described in Carl Ignaz Umlauf’s zither treatise of 1859.…
Knowledge concerning nature and the universe Carinthia Salzburg Styria Tyrol Lower Austria Upper Austria Vorarlberg 2016
Experiential Knowledge Concerning Avalanche Risk Management
Since the very beginning of human beings’ inhabitation of the Alps, it has been necessary to acquire knowledge about avalanches in order to survive there. For the most part, such knowledge has been…
Traditional craftsmanship Lower Austria Upper Austria Salzburg 2016
Making and Wearing of the Linz "Goldhaube"
The version of the "Goldhaube" [Golden Cap] native to Linz is a gold-embroidered piece of headwear that represents the most materially valuable element of Upper Austria’s traditional festive costume…
Social practices Tyrol 2016
"Wampelerreiten" in Axams
"Wampelerreiten" in Axams is done annually on the so-called “nonsensical Thursday” ("unsinniger Donnerstag") prior to "Fasching" [Carnival] Sunday. In focus here are the eponymous "Wampeler"—young…
Social practices Carinthia 2016
Wreath Riding in Weitensfeld
The tradition of Wreath Riding ("Kranzelreiten") in Weitensfeld, practiced annually at Pentecost, is divided into two parts. On Whit Sunday, the "Kranzelreiter" [wreath riders] ride from house to…
Performing arts Carinthia Styria 2016
Laßnitz Folk Plays
The Laßnitz Folk Plays ("Laßnitzer Volksschauspiele") are performed at irregular, multi-year intervals in the village of Steirisch Laßnitz. No one knows when these plays originated or who created…
Knowledge concerning nature and the universe Styria 2016
Knowledge concerning the breeding of Lipizzan horses
Across all of Europe, Lipizzans represent the only performance horse breed that has been raised in the traditional way since the Renaissance. The Lipizzans’ preservation is based on extensive…
Social practices Tyrol 2016
Perlåggen in Tyrol
"Perlåggen" is a card game, nowadays played above all in Tyrol, in which fibbing and misleading one’s opponents are important elements. The players are united in their being speakers of the Tyrolean…
Social practices Styria 2016
"Taubenschießen" in Altaussee
"Taubenschießen" (lit. “pigeon shooting”) is a sport that used to be widespread, from the North Sea to South Tyrol, but the only places where it is still practiced today are Altaussee and the Bavarian…
Traditional craftsmanship Upper Austria 2015
Pocket knife-making in Trattenbach
The Trattenbach pocket knife, a foldable knife that consists of a blade and a lathed wooden handle, has been hand-produced in Trattenbach, upper Austria for nearly 600 years. Many people carry a knife…
Social practices throughout Austria 2015
'Ratschen' during Holy Week
Ratcheting ("Ratschen") is a noisemaking tradition that is practiced in many parts of Austria in various forms during the days preceding Easter. A central element is the so-called "Ratsche" [ratchet],…
Social practices Tyrol Vorarlberg 2015
Disc flinging
Disc flinging (“Scheibenschlagen”) is practised in several places in southern Vorarlberg and Tyrol, usually on the first Sunday of Lent (also known as “Funkensonntag”, “Kassunnti”, or “Hexasunnti”).…
Social practices Tyrol 2015
Zacchaeus singing in Zirl
Zacchaeus singing ("Zachäussingen") in Zirl is an annual fair tradition that takes place on the third Sunday in October starting at 4:30 a.m. Apart from the time of day, a special feature is above all…
Traditional craftsmanship Upper Austria 2015
Indigo Hand Block Printing in the Mühlviertel Region
The highly complex and time-consuming process of indigo hand-printing became established in the region of northern Upper Austria known as the Mühlviertel during the 19th century. Regional craftsmen…
Social practices Tyrol 2015
The Ram Procession to Obermauern
For this annually occurring procession, two separate processions from the communities of Prägraten and Virgen come together in Obermauern. One of these two communities brings along a white ram…
Social practices Upper Austria 2015
Setup and visiting of traditional landscape nativity scenes in the Salzkammergut region
Traditional landscape nativity scenes ("Landschaftskrippen") are typical folk-religious nativity scenes depicting the birth of Christ embedded in local landscapes. Over time, originally small scenes…
Performing arts Styria 2014
The Öblarner Krampusspiel – Krampus Play in Öblarn
As one of the last surviving Styrian folk theatre traditions, the "Öblarner Krampusspiel" [Öblarn Krampus Play] is performed by amateur thespians every year in early December in farmhouse parlours as…
Knowledge concerning nature and the universe Carinthia 2014
Knowledge of timber rafting on the Upper Drava
Every year, six communities build rafts and run them down Austria’s last free-flowing stretch of the Drava in order to keep age-old rafting knowledge alive. Up into the 20th century, the Drava was an…
Social practices Salzburg 2013
“Aperschnalzen” in historic Rupertiwinkel
"Aperschnalzen" refers to an over 200-year-old tradition in historic Rupertiwinkel that today is practised in several communities on both sides of the border rivers of Saalach and Salzach—that is, in…
Social practices Tyrol 2013
Confraternity of the Holy Sepulcher in Pfunds
Founded in 1511, the Brotherhood of the Holy Grave (Heiliggrab-Bruderschaft) in Pfunds, Tyrol, has devoted itself to maintaining the tradition of erecting the Holy Grave on the Saturday before Palm…
Traditional craftsmanship throughout Austria 2013
Austrian Scythe Forging
Prior to the mechanisation of farming, the scythe numbered among the most important harvesting implements. And even after the introduction of mowing machines, it remained a crucial tool for small…
Social practices Upper Austria 2014
“Liebstatt” Sunday in Gmunden
The “Liebstattsonntag” in Gmunden is held every year on the fourth Sunday in Lent. Gmunden’s traditional costume associations, together with the local "Goldhaube" and headscarf group, meet at 9:00…
Performing arts Salzburg Upper Austria 2014
The "Schleuniger" Dance in Abersee
The Schleuniger – old manuscripts also refer to it as the "Schleiniger" – is a form of music and dance found exclusively in the Salzkammergut region. A special local variant of the Schleuniger can be…
Social practices Tyrol 2014
The Gauder fest in Zell am Ziller
The Gauder fest in Zell am Ziller is one of the largest celebrations of spring that has been preserved in the Alpine region, and it dates back as far as the 15th century. The name refers to the…
Performing arts Tyrol 2014
The Reither Nikolausspiel – St. Nicholas Play in Reith
The St. Nicholas Play in Reith ("Reither Nikolausspiel") is held every seven years in the village of Reith im Alpbachtal. The Reither Nikolausspiel consists of twelve scenes (referred to as "Bilder"…
Traditional craftsmanship Upper Austria 2014
Production of the Molln Jew’s Harp
The Jew’s harp ("Maultrommel") is a small musical instrument consisting of a metal frame and a steel tongue or reed. With the instrument pressed between the teeth, the flexible steel reed is plucked…
Performing arts Upper Austria 2014
Traunkirchner Mordsgschicht – Carnival Singing in Traunkirchen
The Traunkirchner Mordsgschicht (Traunkirchen’s “murderously funny story”) is a narrative musical performance in the style of a “Moritat,” a form of cantastoria or bench song. Today, this…
Knowledge concerning nature and the universe throughout Austria 2014
Knowledge of traditional seed cultivation and production
Every culture has produced specific species and varieties of edible plants, adapting the knowledge and techniques involved to its dietary habits and the growing conditions at hand. By means of…
Oral traditions throughout Austria 2013
Austrian Sign Language
Austrian Sign Language (ÖGS) serves as the social and cultural foundation of Austria’s deaf community. As the mother tongue of deaf people in Austria, it is a crucial part of their identity. It is…
Knowledge concerning nature and the universe Tyrol 2013
Knowledge of the locations, harvesting, and processing oft he spotted gentian
The knowledge of the locations, harvesting procedure, and processing of the spotted gentian ("gentiana punctata") has been passed down for centuries in the Tyrolean community of Galtür. The entire…
Performing arts Carinthia 2013
Metnitz Kinisingen - Epiphany caroling in Metnitz
At the Metnitz “Kini Carolling” ("Kinisingen"), between New Year’s and 6 January (Epiphany) a group of singers (called "Rotte"), together with the Three Kings and the Star-Bearer, process from farm to…
Performing arts Upper Austria 2013
“Rudentanz“ in Sierning
Every Shrove Tuesday for the past 200 years, the “Sierninger Rudenkirtag” has been held in the Upper Austrian town of Sierning, a fair at which the Traunviertel "Ruden" (groups of four to eight…
Performing arts Salzburg 2013
The 'Tresterer dance' of Pinzgau as practiced by the folklore association Salzburg
The Pinzgau Tresterer Dance ("Tresterertanz") is a special, regional form of the so-called "Schönperchtenlaufen". This circular dance with hopping and stamping steps, executed in traditional costume,…
Traditional craftsmanship Styria 2013
Basket Making—weaving with willow, straw and split wood
The millennia-old handicraft of weaving baskets from various natural materials has always been an important component of everyday life. The baskets, woven and sewn from willow, straw, and split wood,…
Performing arts Upper Austria 2013
The 'Landler' of the Innviertel
The history of Upper Austria’s Innviertel "Landler" dance is inextricably linked to the Innviertel "Zechen". These were originally rural fellowships of boys that displayed particular artistry in the…
Performing arts Tyrol 2013
Passion Play Erl
For the past 400 years, Tyrol’s traditional Passion Play Erl has been held every six years, an event that has its roots in Christian Easter dramas. Despite the fact that the Passion Play now enjoys…
Traditional craftsmanship Upper Austria 2013
Distillation of pitch oil in the eastern Mühlviertel region
While pitch oil was originally widely used in folk medicine, today its applications are limited to home use. In Upper Austria’s eastern Mühlviertel region, liquid resin is still extracted today using…
Traditional craftsmanship Salzburg 2013
Bobbin lace-making in Salzburg
In bobbin lace-making ("Klöppelei"), several threads are used simultaneously: they are wound onto spindle-shaped bobbins, crossed two by two and then twisted together. This produces the lace that…
Social practices Styria 2012
Festive practices of the civic guards and ceremonial militias of the district of Murau
Five civic guards and ceremonial militias make up the District Association of Guards in the Styrian district of Murau, in the Austrian province of Styria: the Murau Civic Guard, the Krakaudorf…
Social practices Tyrol 2012
Nassereith Carnival - “Schellerlaufen“
The Nassereith Carnival, known since 1951 also as “Schellerlaufen”, is a carnival tradition that takes place every three years in the town of Nassereith, in the district of Imst/Tyrol, on one day…
Performing arts throughout Austria 2012
Jew's harp playing in Austria
The Jew’s harp is a bourdon instrument that can be made of various materials, including metal and bamboo. Jew’s harp playing is among the oldest musical practices of mankind and is particularly…
Social practices Styria 2013
Carrying out the 'Freiung' at the annual 'Maxlaun Market' in Niederwölz
The three-day “Maxlaun Market” is held each year on the second weekend of October in the Styrian village of Niederwölz. The name derives from that of Maximilian, patron saint of the local parish,…
Oral traditions Vorarlberg 2012
Storytelling in Montafon
The storytelling tradition in Montafon, a mountain valley in the Austrian province of Vorarlberg, remains to this day an important element of the community and is cultivated in everyday life as well…
Social practices Tyrol 2013
Sacramental Guards in Tyrol
The Tyrolean Sacrament Guards ("Sakramentsgarden") were founded some 500 years ago, following the Spanish model of the Brotherhoods of Corpus Christi. They still continue to carry out their original…
Traditional craftsmanship Upper Austria 2012
Reverse glass painting in Sandl
With the migration of Northern Bohemian glassmakers, the craft of reverse glass painting arrived in the district Mühlviertel around 1760. It is a region that is along with the Southern part of Bohemia…
Social practices Tyrol 2011
"Bloch-pulling" in Fiss
The “bloch-pulling” in Fiss (“bloch” is the long trunk of a stone pine) belongs to the largest carnival traditions in the Alpine region, besides those in Telfs, Imst, Nassereith, Thaur, Axams, Vigo di…
Social practices Vienna 2011
Viennese coffee house culture
The tradition of Viennese coffeehouse culture is characterised by a very special atmosphere. Typical elements of a Viennese coffeehouse are small marble-topped tables on which the coffee is served,…
Knowledge concerning nature and the universe Tyrol 2011
Transhumance – sheep drive in the Ötztal Alps
The transhumance in the Ötztal Alps is a special form of sheep drive. The drives traverse the Timmelsjoch (2494m), the Hochjoch (2885m), and the Niederjoch (3017m), and represent the only cross-border…
Social practices Styria 2011
The Carnival Run in Murau
This exhausting and elaborate procession and cadging custom is practised at regular intervals of two to five years on one day of the year, usually Shrove Monday, at several locations in the district…
Oral traditions Burgenland Vienna 2011
Songs of the Lovara
Songs are an important part of the cultural tradition of the Lovara. The name of this sub-group of the Roma people comes from what formerly was their primary trade: “Lovara” means “horse-trader”.…
Knowledge concerning nature and the universe Tyrol 2011
The knowledge of hazel spruce as tone wood
The hazel spruce (“Haselfichte”), with its genetically anchored hazel growth, occurs predominantly in the forests of the Alps above an elevation of 1,200 metres. Due to its specific characteristics,…
Social practices Tyrol 2011
Anklöpfeln (knocking on doors) in the Tyrolean Unterland
„Anklöpfeln“ (dialect for “to knock”) is a practice cultivated in the Tyrolean lower Inn valley. Here, a group of mostly male singers dress up as shepherds and visit the neighbouring houses on the…
Performing arts Salzburg 2011
Sword dance of Dürrnberg
The sword dance of Dürrnberg has been performed for the past 500 years and is closely linked to the salt refinery and mining industry of Salzburg. This round and chain dance, originally rooted in the…
Knowledge concerning nature and the universe Vorarlberg 2010
Three-Step Alpine Transhumance in the Bregenz Forest
Three-step Alpine transhumance is an agricultural practice used to this day by farmers in the Bregenz Forest, whose land typically produces insufficient amounts of non-silage feed to keep their…
Social practices Upper Austria 2011
The Rag Procession in Ebensee
The Ebensee Rag Procession is a carnival procession held each year on Shrove Monday in the Upper Austrian town of Ebensee. The participants, called “rags”, dress up in old women’s clothes with rags…
Traditional craftsmanship throughout Austria 2011
Charcoal burning
Charcoal burning is a traditional handicraft that originated in agricultural societies and is primarily concerned with the production of charcoal. Using dry distillation, wood is heated under the…
Social practices Upper Austria 2011
"Lichtbratl" Monday in Bad Ischl
Every year on the Monday following Michaelmas (29 September), the Upper Austrian town of Bad Ischl observes “Lichtbratl” Monday. This occasion has its roots in a custom from earlier times by which…
Performing arts throughout Austria 2010
The Austrian folk dance movement
The Austrian folk dance movement is rooted in the research and collecting activities of a number of people at the end of the 19th century and borrowed from rural traditions that have survived only in…
Social practices Upper Austria 2011
The Firecracker Shooters of Wirling
The "Traditionsschützen Wirling" are presumably the only association in Austria permitted to practise the traditional cannon salute. These shooters perform the ceremonial salute for religious as well…
Social practices Salzburg 2011
"Perchten" in Gastein
The Gastein Perchten Run is held every four years on one day between New Year’s Day and Epiphany in the area surrounding Bad Gastein and Bad Hofgastein, in Salzburg province. The roughly 140 figures…
Social practices Tyrol 2011
"Mullen" and "Matschgern" in the MARTHA villages
The custom of “Mullen” or “Matschgern”, practised in the carnival season in the MARTHA villages (Mühlau, Arzl, Rum, Thaur, and Absam), north of Innsbruck, has a centuries-old tradition. The main…
Traditional craftsmanship Lower Austria 2011
Resin extraction in Lower Austria
Resin extraction from black pines, also called Austrian pines, has been a common trade for centuries. The surface of the tree trunk is wounded to artificially stimulate the flow of resin. The resin…
Oral traditions Burgenland 2011
"Roman" - The language of the Romani people of Burgenland
Roman, the language of the Burgenland Roma, is prevalent primarily in the Austrian province of Burgenland and represents an important component of the cultural and linguistic heritage of the Roma…
Oral traditions Vorarlberg 2011
Toponyms in Vorarlberg
Because land parcels and fields are often located a great distance from farms and villages, their precise geographical designation was of great importance for drawing up contracts, creating route…
Social practices Upper Austria 2011
The Niglo Procession in Windischgarsten
The Niglo Procession on the eve of St Nicholas Day (6 December) is an annual highlight of the Advent season in the Upper Austrian municipality of Windischgarsten. It consists of about 30 people: the…
Social practices throughout Austria 2011
"Silent Night" - the Christmas carol
For a great number of people, the song “Silent Night, Holy Night” (original German title: “Stille Nacht! Heilige Nacht!”), composed in 1818, is a focal point of their Christmas Eve celebration, and…
Social practices Tyrol 2010
"Schleicherlaufen" in Telfs
Approximately 500 men participate actively in the “Telfer Schleicherlaufen“ tradition (an event with costumes and dance that centers around Shrove Tuesday); a number of chronicles report that many…
Social practices Salzburg Styria 2010
"Samsontragen" in the Lungau Region and the District of Murau
The tradition of "Samsontragen" [lit.: carrying Samson] is a permanent element of this region’s traditional calendar and always attracts numerous onlookers. The period before and after Corpus Christi…
Oral traditions Tyrol 2010
The Ötztal Dialect
The dialect spoken in the valley known as the Ötztal is the strongest and most defining element of its inhabitants’ local identity. This dialect can look back upon a nearly 900-year tradition. Its use…
Social practices Upper Austria 2010
The "Glöcklerlauf" in Ebensee
The "Glöcklerlauf" [Bell Ringers’ Procession] in Ebensee, which takes place on 5 January of each year, is typified by the all-white dress of the participants (who march in groups referred to as…
Performing arts Vienna 2010
The Viennese Dudler
The Viennese-style yodeling ("Dudeln") is an important element of the local musical culture. Its origins go back to the beginning of the 19th century and it is nourished by two sources: on the one…
Social practices Lower Austria 2010
The The Vineyard Guards´ Procession in Perchtoldsdorf
Every first Sunday following the feast day of St. Leonhard (6 November) witnesses Perchtoldsdorf’s traditional Vineyard Guards’ Procession (called the "Hütereinzug" or, in the local dialect,…
Social practices Vorarlberg 2010 Monitoring
Bonfire Sunday
Bonfire Sunday ("Funkensonntag") is the first Sunday following Ash Wednesday and thus stands at the beginning of Lent, just after the end of the Carnival ("Fasnacht") period. As early as Fat Tuesday,…
Social practices Salzburg 2010
Ceremonial Marksmen’s Guards in Salzburg
Ceremonial marksmen’s guards serve as an element of local traditions all over the province of Salzburg. Although there exist massive differences from community to community, above all in terms of the…
Traditional craftsmanship Burgenland 2010
Stove and Chimney Masonry in Burgenland
The construction of brick industrial smokestacks and firebrick-lined industrial furnaces involves special techniques and artisanal skills. Stove and chimney masonry is prominent above all in the…
Traditional craftsmanship Lower Austria 2010
Forging in Ybbsitz
Metal forging has a very long history in Ybbsitz (Lower Austria). Certain forging dynasties, known as the “black dukes” (Schwarze Grafen) due to their skills and their outstanding wealth, have 200…
Performing arts Carinthia 2010
Carolling in Heiligenblut
Every year in the Carinthian community of Heiligenblut am Großglockner, in the night between 5 and 6 January, carollers ("Sternsinger" – lit. “star singers”) go from house to house bringing blessings…
Traditional craftsmanship throughout Austria 2010
Specialities of individual pharmacies
Specialities of individual pharmacies have been part of local traditions for a long time and include knowledge on nature, cures and healing that had formerly been passed down orally, and have since…
Social practices Salzburg 2010
"Hundstoaranggeln"
"Hundstoaranggeln" on the mountain Hoher Hundstein in Pinzgau is an event featuring what is probably the oldest sport currently practiced in the Alps. The last Sunday in July sees hundreds of people…
Oral traditions Carinthia 2010
Slovenian Field and House Names in Carinthia
Slovenian-language field and house names that have come down to us today represent an important source when it comes to understanding the economic, social, and linguistic developments that have taken…
Performing arts Tyrol 2010
Christmas caroling in Tyrol’s Villgraten Valley (Inner and Outer Villgraten)
Every year between Christmas and Epiphany, a traditional form of carolling can be heard in the Villgraten Valley. For two days, groups dressed in costumes made specifically for the occasion go from…
Knowledge concerning nature and the universe Upper Austria 2010 Monitoring
Salzkammergut Bird-Catching
The tradition of bird-catching in the Salzkammergut region encompasses the capture of individual members of endemic forest species during the autumn, keeping these birds in aviaries following the…
Traditional craftsmanship Vorarlberg 2010
The Lake Constance Radhaube in lamé lace
The Lake Constance Radhaube, a wheel-shaped bonnet, is unique due to its ornaments, which are made of golden and silver threads of equal quality on either side. The bonnet is typically worn in…
Traditional craftsmanship Carinthia 2010
The Gunsmith´s Craft in Ferlach
For generations, the gunsmith´s craft in Ferlach (Carinthia) has lived from collaboration between specialists. Stockmakers shape wood to create the stocks, engravers design the surfaces of the metal…
Traditional craftsmanship Carinthia 2010
Bread-Making in the Lesachtal
The tradition of bread-making in the Lesach Valley, especially in the communities of Maria Luggau and Liesing, encompasses the cultivation and preparation of grain in an Alpine farming region, the…
Oral traditions throughout Austria 2010
Telling Fairy Tales
Telling fairy tales consists in the art of entertaining people by conveying stories in a playful and intellectually stimulating way. The metaphors that fairy tales employ are so simple yet so subtle…
Social practices Tyrol 2010
Mountain fires in Tyrol´s Ehrwald Basin
Every year, the mountain fires at the Ehrwald Basin in Tyrol burn brightly around the summer solstice of June 21. Each participating group chooses a figure that is to be drawn, drafted according to…
Oral traditions Vienna 2010
Classical Horsemanship and the High School of the Spanish Riding School Vienna
To this day, knowledge of classical horsemanship and the haute école on and above ground is handed down orally from one generation of riders to the next at the Spanish Riding School in Vienna and…
Social practices Lower Austria 2010
Nebenleistung - Association for Mutual Assistance in Fire Emergencies
Nebenleistung – Association for Mutual Assistance in Fire Emergencies (Verein für gegenseitige Hilfeleistung bei Brandfällen “Nebenleistung”) is a self-help organisation in St. Oswald im Yspertal,…
Social practices Carinthia 2010
Mining culture in Bleiberg
For centuries, coal mining constituted the economic basis of life for the inhabitants of Bad Bleiberg. Even though the mine in Bad Bleiberg (Carinthia) has been closed since 1992, numerous initiatives…
Traditional craftsmanship Burgenland 2010
Blueprint - resist block printing and indigo dyeing in Burgenland
Blueprint in Burgenland involves the dyeing of fabric with the help of a special type of printing technique called “Reservedrucktechnik” (resist printing). Traditionally, wood patterns and paste are…
Knowledge concerning nature and the universe Salzburg 2010
Local Healing Knowledge in the Pinzgau Region
The traditional knowledge of healing treatments and their practical application possessed by people in the Pinzgau region was surveyed and documented in written form for the first time in 2005. The…
Social practices Salzburg 2010
Vereinigte zu Tamsweg
Vereinigte zu Tamsweg [roughly: Union of Tamsweg], the oldest continually existing association of working men in and around the town of Tamsweg in Salzburg’s Lungau region, was founded by craftsmen…
Knowledge concerning nature and the universe throughout Austria 2010
Falconry
Falconry is the art of hunting with birds. In the strictest sense of the term, “falconry” denotes hunting with specially trained falcons, although goshawks, sparrowhawks (kestrels), and eagles are…
Social practices Tyrol 2010
"Schemenlaufen" - The Carnival of Imst
"Schemenlaufen" denotes a Carnival ("Fasnacht") procession in the Tyrolean Oberland town of Imst that features 26 different types of masks and is characterised by its bright colours, constant motion,…
