History

A drinking water well – as precious as gold

The Goldener Brunnen, which has been run as an inn since 1545, is considered the oldest inn in Upper Austria. It already had its own well at the entrance of the house. Having fresh drinking water within the city walls, even directly in the house, was worth as much as pure gold. This is how the house got its name: Golden Fountain.

Der Brunnenclub (clubbing) from 1873

Im Lauf der wechselhIn the course of the changing history of the Salzkammergut, the Goldener Brunnen also changed hands frequently. The inn was, among other things, a hostel for leather workers and tanners, saddlers and shoemakers, bricklayers and coppersmiths.

Since 1873, the "Brunnenclub" has had its seat in the house: a club of apolitical sociability, where musicians, poets and other cultural people - including, for example, the composer Johannes Brahms - gathered for charming rendezvous and cheerful dinner parties. A mentality that is still alive in the house today.

"The Brunnenclub soon became an always open hoard of like-minded young and old gentlemen of the local intelligent circles", says the Gmunden town chronicle. "At the club evenings, which were primarily dedicated to the cultivation of harmless humour and the consolidation of spiritual unity, casual dialogues, humorous and serious lectures were cultivated.

"Keramikhotel" since 2006

In 1995 the house finally came into the sole possession of the Krapfenbauer family. 2006 master builder Thomas Krapfenbauer established the Keramikhotel in the Goldener Brunnen and has been running it ever since.