Rudolf Ehrenfried Riemann (1825–1885)

Accompanied by his wife, Baron Rudolf Riemann, born in Posen (now Poland) in 1825, travelled to Zell am See by stagecoach in 1867. It was love at first sight. The enthusiastic mountaineer soon made friends with the locals, to whom he explained the economic importance of the burgeoning tourism industry. A year later, Rudolf Riemann bought what is now the Kurpark in Thumersbach from the owner of the Lohninghof inn. The innkeeper was short of money and wanted to cut down the beautiful maple trees.

The pioneer of tourism encouraged the foundation of the Pinzgau Alpine Club Section in 1871 (from 1891 the Zell am See Section). The first chairman was the then mayor Josef Salzmann. Riemann himself held this position from 1872 to 1880.

Numerous important developments took place during his time as chairman of the Alpine Club. In 1873, the footpath and bridle path to the Schmittenhöhe was built. On 23 August 1874, a mountain shelter was opened on the Schmittenhöhe. Many other trails and footpaths were built in the Zell am See area and in the surrounding communities. The construction of mountain shelters, such as the Riemannhaus in the Steinernes Meer mountains, which was named after him, was also financially supported on his initiative.