Carinthia: high mountains and wonderful alpine lakes

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This article is also available in: Italian

Carinthia is a state (Bundesländer) of Austria located in the southern part of the country. It borders to the south with Italy, and with Slovenia, to the east and north-east with the Austrian state of Styria, to the north-west with Salzburg and to the west with East Tyrol.

Carinthia is the fifth Austrian state by size and the sixth by population, is divided into 8 districts (Bezirke), and into two statutory cities (Statutarstädte), the capital Klagenfurt and the city of Villach.

Rich in raw materials, such as gold, iron and salt. Carinthia was colonized by the Romans, who aggregated it to the province of Noricum, where the most important city was Virunum, today’s Klagenfurt, capital of modern Carinthia.

After the barbarian invasions, Carinthia became part of the empire of Charlemagne. Then in the 9th century it became part of the Kingdom of Bavaria and subsequently an autonomous duchy within the Holy Roman Empire. In the fourteenth century it became part of the possessions of the Habsburgs to which it remained linked until the end of the First World War.

A REGION OF HIGH MOUNTAINS

Rich in mountains especially in the western section where the Carnic Alps rise (Karnischen Alpen), along the border with Italy, and the massif of the High Tauern (Hohen Tauern), on the border with Salzburg and Tyrol. In the High Tauern, along the border with East Tyrol, is the highest mountain in Austria, the Großglockner (3,798 meters). Along the border with Slovenia are the Karawanken Alps (Karawanken), while to the north are the Gurktal Alps (Gurktaler Alpen). The central area of the region, running from west to east, is crossed by the river Drava, a tributary of the Danube, while west of Klagenfurt lies a beautiful region full of alpine lakes.

Carinthia (Kärnten)
Population: 558.997 (2010)
Area: 5,936 km²
Capital: Klagenfurt
Highest point: Großglockner 3,798 meters
Lowest point: Lavamünd 348 meters

Tourist attractions: What to see in Carinthia.