Healing tunnels
The Gastein healing tunnels into the Rathausberg:
Over 50 years ago, the people of Gastein, like many times before, started to mine for gold ore. At 1280m, a new tunnel into the mountain was built just for this purpose.
The search for gold remained however unsuccessful, although this disappointment for the miners, at the same time, meant a great achievement for the health of the public.
Namely, geologists determined that there was an increase in the air and rock temperature (up to 44ºc) under a relative level of humidity from a certain tunnel depth. After intensive research, the medical department at Innsbruck University confirmed the healing qualities of the Gastein tunnels. With the tunnel train, you can go 2.5km into the mountain, where the warmth and the high humidity bring about a temperature increase in the body to 38ºc. The absorption of radons into the body is increased and through this, the cells metabolism is stimulated. Individual adjustment to the related medical problem and heat tolerance.