The Emerald Village of Bramberg am Wildkogel – for decades, the warm relationship between the locals and their guests has served as a true reflection of the authentic, traditional character of this hospitable village. Bramberg is quite unique, since the Habachtal is the site of Europe’s only natural emerald deposits. Which perhaps explains why the Bramberg Museum houses one of Austria’s most extensive collections of minerals. Every year, countless amateur mineralogists make their way to Bramberg to hunt for that fascinating green stone, to proudly show off their finds, and even to do some trading at the Mineral Exchange (Aug.15).
Who knows, if you head out on a mineral excursion (mid June – end of September, every Friday) with expert Alois Steiner, maybe you will unearth your very own green treasure! In summer, the mineral excursion, a visit to Hochfeld Mine, as well as a tour of Bramberg Museum and the Mineral Exchange, all bring a gleam to any true collector’s eye. An emerald path punctuated by info stations and a romantic hiking trail are being built in Habachtal Valley. And in Bramberg, the Venediger Mandl in the park, the emerald sculptures and the emerald talers promise an array of sparkling vacation memories. In fact, the emerald talers are actually an officially accepted form of payment at businesses in Bramberg!
