Curious competition

Bad Aussee not the center of Austria after all?

Bad Aussee attracts many tourists all year round.

(Bild: Juergen Radspieler)

More precise methods of measuring the center of Austria have unexpectedly sparked a duel between two communities in Styria: while Bad Aussee has even had the title trademarked for decades, Stainach-Pürgg is thinking out loud about an open duel including a new tourism concept - a delicate test of strength.

Since the middle of the 20th century, Bad Aussee has proudly called itself the center of Austria. The official post is printed with the title, and a marble stone with a symbolic bronze navel stands at the aforementioned point. "Tourists come to us and have their photo taken in front of the statue in the spa gardens," says Mayor Franz Frosch (ÖVP).