Gastein

Gastein, a romantic valley in the south of the Austrian duchy of Salzburg, 28 miles long, with a number of small villages. The chief of these, Wildbad-Gastein, is a very famous watering-place, and was a favourite resort of the Emperor William I. of Germany. Some 5000 guests visit the place in summer to drink the waters of its seven warm springs. Here, on 14th August 1865, a convention was signed between Austria and Prussia, which, by a partition of Sleswick and Holstein, for a short period prevented the rupture between the rival powers. Pop. of the valley, about 4000. See W. Fraser Rae's Austrian Health Resorts (1888).