May 17, 2023 – 09:03
Hallstatt Screen – Photo: Reinhard Hormandinger/AFP
The anti-selfie wall in Hallstatt has been dismantled after the Hallstatt municipality decided last week to cover a part of the settlement where hundreds of tourists congregate each day with a wooden barrier. He writes Natrichten.
The original idea was what if the townspeople weren’t affected by the noise of the tourists, because the selfie spot they like to use so much wouldn’t be available. The answer to this was not revealed, and instead the town of Hallstatt made headlines with its campaign – one French newspaper wrote that “an Austrian village has taken a radical decision against tourists”, but
“This decision was far-fetched.”
– said Mayor Alexander Schutz. Schutz talked about how the screen was just an experiment that came out on the town hall, so they decided to give it a try. However, the mayor added that it was “quite unlikely” even then that this would eventually be a good noise reduction solution. This is also why the screen was dismantled on Tuesday.
The majority of Hallstatt residents didn’t like the anti-selfie wall either, because despite the tourist side effects, the locals are proud of their cityscape. “The plan has been abandoned,” the mayor said. Instead of a screen, now only a sign at the famous filming venue proclaims “We live here, please enjoy the view in peace” – warning tourists not to make noise.
