Pinzgau is the largest part of Land Salzburg. It is subdivided into Mitterpinzgau, Unterpinzgau and Oberpinzgau (central, lower and upper). Central Pinzgau is shaped like a sharp prism inserted between Tyrol and Bavaria and is marked by a very diversified mountain landscape (Leogang mountains, Dientnerberge, Steinernes Meer) as well as by the large Saalfelden basin. Unterpinzgau spreads itself over the two sides of the Salzach and becomes higher in a part of the "Zeller Furche", where the main town of Pinzgau, Zell am See, is located. The first cable car in Land Salzburg was erected in 1927 on the Schmittenhöhe close to Zell am See. The valleys of Rauris and Kaprun with the Kitzsteinhorn summit at a height of 3203 metres, and Fusch with the Großglockner Hochalpenstraße (high alpine road), branch off from the Salzach valley. Großglockner, the highest mountain in Austria, does not lie on Land Salzburg territory but is nevertheless linked to it by the Großglockner High Alpine road.
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The Hohe Tauern form the southern border of the Pinzgau. As part of the central Alps they are the longest and most inaccessible section and their summits are covered by glaciers, particularly the chains Venediger and Glockner. In Oberpinzgau, one steep valley stream follows another, coming down the Hohe Tauern chain. They are narrow and fissured and for most of them there is no vehicular access. A number of them deserve mention; Krimmltal, where the highest waterfalls in Europe are to be found (they have the distinction of being certified with a European diploma), both valleys of Sulzbach with the massive Großvenediger as well as the longest valley of the Tauern, called Hollersbachtal, with the enchanted lake Kratzenbergsee, the highest corrie lake in the Hohe Tauern. At a height of 3674 metres above sea level, the Großvenediger is the highest mountain in Land Salzburg. The Hohe Tauern National Park was created in 1984 and is one of the largest in Europe. The lands of Salzburg, Carinthia and Tyrol had already agreed on its creation in 1971. The main motivation was and is still today to maintain the beauty and authenticity of this region which is such an impressive and varied part of the Austrian Alps. The creation of this national park was definitely one of the most important projects of territorial development in Land Salzburg.
 Link: Hohe Tauern National Park
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