Bad Ischl from A to Z
From the brine medicinal bath to the world-famous health resort!
In 1821 the Viennese doctor Dr. Franz Wirer came to Ischl and found out about the health resort results of the 'Salinenphysikus' Dr. Josef Götz who tested the effect from brine baths on ill saltwork workers since 1807. The first about 40 (foreign) health resort guests appeared in 1822. Next year the number of the guests doubled. 1823 can be seen as the real foundation year of the first Ischler medicinal bath as a brine bath. Michael Tänzl, the saline-cashier established in his house the brine-bath tube (Tänzelbad) which had to be extended already in 1825.
Ischl soon advanced to a health resort of international importance. The number of the guests who came to Ischl - amongst them state chancellor Metternich and archduke Rudolf - became increasingly bigger. In 1827 Franz Karl and Sophie, the parents of the later emperor Franz Josef took a cure for the first time. In 1827/1828 Franz and Magdalena Koch established the postal court (inn to the post), the first hotel of the Salzkammergut.
The climax of the Ischler period was from 1849 to 1914 with the imperial summer residence of Emperor Franz Joseph I. In 1853 Franz Joseph got engaged to Elisabeth (Sisi, Sissy) of Bavaria in the "Seeauerhaus" - nowadays the museum of the town Bad Ischl.
From the summer of 1863 on the important composer Anton Bruckner always came to Ischl for the birthday of the emperor, as well as to other festive occasions of the imperial house as court organist. Bruckner called himself with pleasure „organist of the Emperor“. He played on the 31st of July, 1890 to the wedding of the archduchess Marie Valerie with archduke Franz Salvator on the organ variations of the imperial hymn, linked with the "halleluiah" from the Messiah of Georg Friedrich Händel. Afterwards Bruckner was invited to the luncheon in the Hotel Post. In the town parish church a commemorative table reminds of Bruckner's stays. Also in the visitors' book of the pastry shop Zauner you can find an entry of Bruckner.
Ischl was a summer domicile of many popular composers, above all Johann Strauss, Franz Lehár and Johannes Brahms, but also other musicians regularly spent the summer here; many of them probably searched also the nearness of the court residing on the site. Thus Ischl developed to the artist's meeting place of international standing already during the time of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Today during the summer months there are still annually Operetta weeks.
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