Großvenediger
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| Großvenediger | |
|---|---|
 Großvenediger from the Johannishütte |
|
| Elevation | 3,666 m |
| Location | Salzburg & East Tyrol, Austria |
| Range | Hohe Tauern, Alps |
| Prominence | 1,185 m |
| Coordinates | |
| Topo map | BEV ÖK50 152 |
| First ascent | 1841 |
| Translation | big Venetian (German) |
| Pronunciation | [ˌgroːsveˈneːdigər] |
Großvenediger is generally considered to be Austria's third highest mountain (although it can be up to sixteenth if every subsidiary summit is counted). It is located in the Hohe Tauern National Park on the border of Salzburg and East Tyrol, and is covered by glaciers.
The name "Großvenediger" (=big Venetian) is first recorded from a border survey in 1797. The origin is unclear, but is supposed to derive from Italian merchants who came from Venice in the south over the mountains. An alternative theory is that the view from the summit may reach as far as Venice, some 200 km away.
In 1828, an expedition of 17 men, including Archduke Johann, failed in their attempt to climb Großvenediger.
It wasn't until forty years after the first successful ascent of the Großglockner that a team led by Josef Schwab made the first successful attempt on the summit of Großvenediger, having begun at Neukirchen am Großvenediger and climbed up Obersulzbachtal and over the Stierlahnerwand. Other members of the team included Ignaz von Kürsinger, Paul Rohregger, Dr. Ruthner and Dr. Spitaler. Of the 40 participants, only 26 finally reached the summit, the others having stayed back due to fatigue.
