Salzkammergut (Austria)

The Salzkammergut (Austrian German: [ˈsaltskamɐɡuːt], Northern German: [ˈzaltskamɐɡuːt] ; Central Austro-Bavarian: Soizkaumaguad) is a resort area in Austria, stretching from the city of Salzburg eastwards along the Alpine Foreland and the Northern Limestone Alps to the peaks of the Dachstein Mountains. The main river of the region is the Traun, a right tributary of the Danube. The name Salzkammergut translates to "salt demesne" (or "salt domain"). Kammergut is a German word for territories held by princes of the Holy Roman Empire – in early modern Austria, it specifically refers to territories of the Habsburg monarchy. The salt mines of Salzkammergut were administered by the Imperial Salzoberamt in Gmunden from 1745 to 1850. Parts of the region were designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1997.