Kaprun

Kaprun is a municipality in the Zell am See District in the Austrian state of Salzburg. It lies in the Salzach valley at the northern edge of the Hohe Tauern range, near Zell am See, and is part of the Pinzgau region. The area is known for its alpine scenery and year-round tourism. The village sits at roughly 750 meters above sea level and serves as a base for winter and summer activities.

The local economy is dominated by tourism, including the Kitzsteinhorn glacier ski area accessible from Kaprun by cable car and rail, the Maiskogel family ski area connected to Zell am See, and numerous hiking routes. Other attractions include the Sigmund-Thun Gorge, the Kaprun Power Plant with its reservoirs, and Kaprun Castle.

Kaprun has medieval origins and features historic architecture such as Schloss Kaprun. It developed as a market town in the Middle Ages and today preserves a traditional Alpine townscape alongside modern tourism facilities.

In 2000, the town was the site of a major disaster when a fire in a tunnel of the Kaprun glacier railway caused the deaths of 155 people and led to sweeping changes in safety standards for alpine transport and mountain infrastructure across Europe. Since then Kaprun continues to be a principal access point to the high mountain environment of the Hohe Tauern and a popular resort for visitors year-round.