During the last ice age, the area’s valleys and mountains were covered in glaciers up to 3,000 m (9,000 feet) deep. When the climate changed the elemental forces of the moving glaciers carved out large valleys, leaving behind high rock walls at the entrances to smaller side valleys. Where the raging Großarl river met that change in elevation it battled against the rock for thousands of years, cutting into it, grinding it down, hollowing it out and carrying away the debris. The water proved stronger than the limestone and slate of the Klamm. Thus the Liechtensteinklamm, an almost 300 m (900 feet) deep gorge, was created.

  

 

 

 

After several failed attempts, a handful of members of the local Alpine Association succeeded in 1875 in making the wild and romantic gorge accessible to the public. Unfortunately, the valiant pioneers soon ran out of money. Not knowing where else to turn for help, they approached Johann II, Prince of Liechtenstein, who owned a hunting ground in the nearby town of Großarl. With his donation of 600 guilders the project was finished in 1876. And in the process, a name was found for the most significant canyon in the Austrian Alps –Liechtensteinklamm, or Prince Liechtenstein’s Gorge.