Rohrauerhaus

The Rohrauerhaus is a mountain hut (Schutzhütte) of the Ortsgruppe Linz of Naturfreunde Österreich (NFÖ), located in the municipality of Spital am Pyhrn in Upper Austria, Austria, at 1,308 metres above sea level in the Haller Mauern range. It was opened in 1925 and is named after Alois Rohrauer, a co-founder of the Touristenverein Naturfreunde. The house burned down in 1933 and, due to the political circumstances of the Ständestaat and the National Socialist period in Austria, could only be restored from 1955 and reopened in 1957. Today it serves as a base for hikers and mountaineers, offering accommodation, food and seminar facilities. The hut is a stop on the European long-distance hiking trail E4 and the Nordalpenweg (Austrian long-distance trail 01). In September 2015, after an extensive review process, the Rohrauerhaus was awarded the Austrian Ecolabel (Österreichisches Umweltzeichen), becoming the first alpine hut in Upper Austria to receive this distinction. The house is run by tenants (Pächter) and offers a range of courses and seminars, particularly in a natural setting with no mobile phone reception, promoting creativity and relaxation. The website highlights its culinary offerings, comfortable atmosphere and membership benefits through the Naturfreunde association.

The Rohrauerhaus is named after Alois Rohrauer (1843–1923), a co-founder of the Touristenverein Naturfreunde. Rohrauer was the son of a carpenter and trained as a scythe smith. In 1864 he left his home, arrived in Vienna in 1866, and found work as a precision mechanic in the Simmeringer Waggonfabrik. There he joined the social democratic movement and the trade union. He became a popular public speaker and an early friend of the young law student Karl Renner, who was also his neighbour. Together they were among the founders of the Touristenverein Naturfreunde in 1895, and Rohrauer served as its first chairman until his death. The history of the Rohrauerhaus itself begins in February 1923 with the decision to build it. In July 1923 the land was purchased, and on 28 October 1923 a call for volunteer helpers to fell timber was published in the Oberösterreichisches Tagblatt. Official construction began in April 1924. After 40,000 registered unpaid working hours, the house was opened on 2 August 1925 with 2,500 guests arriving by special train. In July 1929 the west façade was clad. On 29 December 1933 the entire house was destroyed by fire caused by a technical defect. On 12 February 1934, following a house search for weapons in the Hotel Schiff, a Social Democratic party building in Linz, armed clashes broke out between Social Democrats and the Heimwehr and federal army, escalating into a two-day civil war that the government called the "February Uprising". On 14 February 1934 the Touristenverein "Die Naturfreunde" was banned. Due to the political circumstances of the Ständestaat and the National Socialist period in Austria, the house could only be restored from 1955 and was reopened in 1957. Since then, the Rohrauerhaus has operated as a mountain hut for hikers and mountaineers. It is located at 1,308 metres above sea level in the Haller Mauern range, in the municipality of Spital am Pyhrn in Upper Austria. The path to the hut is part of the European long-distance hiking trail E4 and the Nordalpenweg (Austrian long-distance trail 01). The hut offers tours such as the three-hut hike from the car park at the former Gasthaus Grünau through the Dr.-Vogelgesang-Klamm to the Bosruckhütte and over the Rohrauerhaus to the Hofalmhütte, a round trip of about 5 hours. Other routes include around the Karleck (1,582 m) via the private Ardningalmhütte (1,037 m) and the Arlingsattel (1,425 m) in about 3 hours, and over the Arlingsattel to Ardning or over the Pyhrgasgatterl (1,308 m) to Hall bei Admont in about 2 hours. Access points include the car park at the Bosruckhütte (about 1 hour), the former Gasthof Grünau (725 m) through the Dr.-Vogelgesang-Klamm (about 2¼ hours), Spital am Pyhrn railway station (650 m, about 3 hours), Admont via Mühlau (about 3½ hours), and Ardning railway station (about 3 hours). Summit climbs include the Großer Pyhrgas (2,244 m) via the partly secured Hofersteig (path 615) in about 3 hours, the Großer Pyhrgas via the west ridge (path 614) in about 3 hours, the Scheiblingstein (2,197 m) in about 3¾ hours, and the Bosruck (1,992 m) via a via ferrata of difficulty A/B, partly exposed. Transitions to neighbouring huts include the Bosruckhütte (1,043 m) in about 1 hour, the Hofalmhütte (1,305 m) over the Hofalmsattel in about ¾ hour, the Ardningalmhütte (Jausenstation) (1,037 m) in about 1½ hours, and the Gowilalm (1,375 m) over the Großer Pyhrgas. In September 2015, after an extensive review process, the Rohrauerhaus was awarded the Austrian Ecolabel (Österreichisches Umweltzeichen), becoming the first alpine hut in Upper Austria to receive this distinction. The website notes that where huts carry the Austrian Ecolabel, hikers can be sure that strict environmental requirements are met and nature is sustainably protected. The hut is run by tenants; in 2024, new tenants Marek and Anetta took over, opening the summer season on 1 May and remaining open until 10 November. The house also serves as a seminar and course location, far from the bustle of the city and free of mobile phone reception, in an inspiring and calming natural landscape.

• Decision to build the Rohrauerhaus

• Purchase of the land

• Call for volunteer helpers to fell timber published in the Oberösterreichisches Tagblatt

• Official construction begins

• Opening after 40,000 registered unpaid working hours, with 2,500 guests arriving by special train

• Cladding of the west façade

• Fire caused by technical defect completely destroys the house

• Touristenverein "Die Naturfreunde" banned

• Restoration of the house begins

• Reopening of the Rohrauerhaus

• Awarded the Austrian Ecolabel, first alpine hut in Upper Austria

• Summer season opens under new tenants Marek and Anetta

A traditional, eco-certified alpine hut offering hospitality, outdoor recreation and seminar space in a remote natural setting.

• Mountain hut accommodation

  Overnight stays for hikers and mountaineers

• Food and beverage service

  Culinary offerings in a traditional alpine setting

• Seminars and courses

  Seminar and course location in a natural setting without mobile phone reception

1. 1Naturfreunderohrauerhaus.at
2. 2Geschichte | Naturfreunderohrauerhaus.at
3. 3Rohrauerhauswikidata.org
4. 4Rohrauerhausde.wikipedia.org