Zittelhaus

Zittelhaus is a mountain hut (Schutzhütte) owned and operated by the Sektion Rauris of the Österreichischer Alpenverein (ÖAV), the Austrian Alpine Club. It stands directly on the summit of the Hoher Sonnblick at 3,106 m above sea level in the Goldberggruppe of the Land Salzburg, Austria. As a high-alpine shelter, it serves mountaineers, ski tourers and hikers, and is a key base for the surrounding peaks and long-distance trails. The hut was originally built in 1886 as a meteorological station house on the Sonnblick summit, initiated by Ignaz Rojacher, owner of Kolm-Saigurn, at the suggestion of Hofrat Dr. J. Hann. The Sektion Salzburg of the Deutscher und Österreichischer Alpenverein (DuOeAV) took over its construction and maintenance, and it was ceremonially opened on 2 September 1886. A stone observation tower was added by the Austrian Meteorological Society. Because of heavy visitor numbers, an extension was planned as early as 1888; a contract with Rojacher was signed on 28 May 1886 (as recorded in the 1894 history) for a Zubau at a cost of 5,000 gulden, carried out during 1889. In 1890, by resolution of the Bozen General Assembly, the house was named Zittelhaus in honour of the Central Committee of Munich and its president Dr. von Zittel, and a dedication plaque was unveiled on 28 July 1890. On 23 October 1891, agreements transferred ownership to the Sektion Salzburg, and the arrangements for the meteorological station were settled. In 1925 the Sektion Halle of the DuOeAV acquired the house together with the Rojacher Hütte. In 1984 the Sektion Rauris of the ÖAV bought the hut, and it remains in the ownership of that section today. The official website notes thanks for a great 2026 season and directs questions about the 2027 season to the Sektion Rauris. The Zittelhaus is a classic high-alpine hut with dining room, kitchen, pantry, guest rooms and dormitory-style sleeping places, and it is also a base for the meteorological station on the summit. It is staffed in winter as well and is an important support point for long-distance walkers on the Zentralalpenweg and the Tauernhöhenweg. Approaches include from the Fleißkehre of the Großglockner-Hochalpenstraße (1,522 m, about 7 hours) and from Kolm-Saigurn (1,598 m, about 5 hours). Transitions lead to the Rojacher Hütte (2,718 m, about 1.5 hours), Duisburger Hütte (2,572 m, about 3 hours), Niedersachsenhaus (2,471 m, about 4 hours) and Schutzhaus Neubau (2,175 m, about 2 hours). Tours from the hut include the Schareck (3,122 m), Hocharn (3,254 m), Goldbergspitze (3,072 m) and the Hoher Sonnblick itself (about 5 minutes). The Klagenfurter Jubiläumsweg runs from the Hoher Sonnblick over the Hocharn, the Krumlkeesscharte with the Otto-Umlauft-Biwak to the Hochtor and on to the Wallackhaus, a high-alpine ridge route of difficulty grade I, partly over glaciers, taking 11 to 15 hours. The relevant Alpine Club map is Blatt 42, 1:25,000, Sonnblick.

The Zittelhaus was built in 1886 as a meteorological station house on the summit of the Hoher Sonnblick. According to Johannes Emmer's 1894 article 'Geschichte des Deutschen und Oesterreichischen Alpenvereins', in 1885 Ignaz Rojacher, owner of Kolm-Saigurn, proposed the erection of a meteorological station on the Sonnblick summit to Hofrat Dr. J. Hann. Hann contacted the Central Committee (C.-A.) of the Sektion Salzburg, which resolved to undertake the construction and maintenance of a station house. The General Assembly approved the necessary funds, and Rojacher took over the building, which was ceremonially opened on 2 September 1886. An agreement with the Austrian Society for Meteorology granted the two lower rooms to the meteorological station, and the society had a stone observation tower built at its own expense. Heavy use of the house led to plans for an extension as early as 1888. On 28 May 1886 (as recorded in the 1894 history) a contract was concluded between the C.-A. Munich and Rojacher, by which Rojacher transferred the land into the ownership of the D. u. Oe. A.-V. and undertook to carry out an extension for 5,000 gulden. The Zubau was executed during 1889. By resolution of the Bozen General Assembly, the house was named Zittelhaus in honour of the C.-A. Munich and its president Dr. von Zittel, and the dedication plaque was unveiled on 28 July 1890. Because the statutes adopted in Mainz prevented the C.-A. from remaining the owner, it contacted the Sektion Salzburg about taking over the house; on 23 October 1891 agreements were reached with the Sektion Salzburg and the Austrian Society for Meteorology, by which the Zittelhaus passed into the ownership of the Sektion Salzburg and the arrangements for the meteorological station were settled. At that time the Zittelhaus stood on the Sonnblick summit at 3,106 m, on specially acquired land, built of wood (only the observation tower of rubble stone). It contained vestibules, a kitchen with pantry, a guest room, three bedrooms with 8 and 2 beds, a sleeping room with 13 mattress places, two guides' sleeping rooms with 9 and 4 places, and for the meteorological station an observer's room and a scholars' room (each with one bed). The house was operated in winter as well and connected by telephone with Rauris. The construction costs of the first house were 2,385.19 gulden, those of the extension 5,000 gulden; in total the central treasury spent 14,246.85 marks on the house and associated path works up to the end of 1893 (the meteorological station was supported with 10,247.40 marks). Visits numbered 3,443 persons. Valley stations were Kolm-Saigurn 4 hours and Heiligenblut 6 hours. In 1925 the Sektion Halle of the Deutscher und Österreichischer Alpenverein (DuOeAV) acquired the house together with the Rojacher Hütte. In 1984 the Sektion Rauris of the Österreichischer Alpenverein (ÖAV) bought the hut. It remains in the ownership of the Sektion Rauris, and the official website directs questions about the 2027 season to that section.

• 1984

  Sektion Rauris of the ÖAV buys the hut.

• 1925

  Sektion Halle of the DuOeAV acquires the house and the Rojacher Hütte.

• 1891

  Agreements transfer ownership to the Sektion Salzburg on 23 October 1891.

• 1890

  The house is named Zittelhaus; dedication plaque unveiled on 28 July 1890.

• 1889

  The Zubau (extension) is carried out.

• 1888

  Heavy visitor numbers prompt plans for an extension.

• 1886

  The station house is ceremonially opened on 2 September 1886.

• 1885

  Ignaz Rojacher proposes a meteorological station on the Sonnblick summit to Hofrat Dr. J. Hann.

A historic high-alpine mountain hut of the Austrian Alpine Club, serving mountaineers and researchers at the summit of the Hoher Sonnblick.

• Mountain hut accommodation

• Food and beverage service

• Overnight stays for mountaineers

• Base for meteorological station

1. 1Zittelhaus - Hoher Sonnblick 3106m | Zittelhauszittelhaus.at
2. 2Zittelhauswikidata.org
3. 3Zittelhausde.wikipedia.org