Just like in the old days: life without electricity

A life without electricity. How is that supposed to work? With an ice cellar and wax drawing. On a trip to Waldhausen, you will travel back in time to a not-so-distant past and find out how people used to get light and how they survived without a fridge.

Waldhausen in Strudengau is the easternmost town in Upper Austria, nestled in the gentle Mühlviertel hills. There are impressive natural monuments and wonderful viewpoints to recharge your batteries. The history of the town can be discovered in the former monastery or on the historical paths through the market.

Gerhard Wimmer
As the last beeswax maker, I am the only one of my kind in Austria. Since my childhood, our parlour has smelled of Christmas. Only in this room of the house is it possible to produce perfect beeswax candles. My family has been practising this very delicate art for 200 years. As a passionate beekeeper, I have always been interested in bees and their products. I am therefore particularly pleased to have learnt this craft and I am happy to pass on this knowledge.

Christoph Schauer
I grew up in Strudengau and have a few stories to tell about the region and our traditional hotel. The inn has been in my family for over 120 years. As well as looking after the guests, I also look after the forest and the hotel's own orchard and use the produce to make homemade cider and naturally cloudy apple and pear juice. I am happy to give our guests an insight into the secrets of our ice cellar and how it is used. Here you can learn how it was possible to store meat and other foods for longer periods of time before the age of refrigerators and freezers.