Every Friday evening from 25th June to 3th September – a series superb open-air concerts followed by the unique and breathtaking Mariazeller Bergwelle experience.
The setting: mountainside with alpine backdrop. The venue: the beautiful new wood-and-glass “ÖFB – Arche des Waldes” – the Ark of the Forest – a distinctive exhibition and event centre constructed in 2005 in the form of a ship on the shores of the Bergsee, harmoniously integrated into the surrounding mountain landscape.
The concept: a bringing together of the new infrastructure with the centuries-old cultural heritage and identity of the Mariazeller Land region. The realisation: the Mariazeller Bergwelle, this unrivalled combination of alpine landscape, the play of light, laser technology, the magic of water, the excitement of live music, all at an altitude of 1,300 metres.
This year once again there is an attractive and varied programme of Friday evening concerts, offering every visitor a wonderfully atmospheric evening. But it is worth starting a bit earlier, later on in the afternoon, by cable car up to the Mariazeller Bürgeralpe, to pay a visit first to the Lumberjack World discovery centre (“Erlebniswelt Holzknechtland”). Here you can gain an insight into the tough working world of the woodcutters in earlier times and try their hard work out for yourself. With a visit to the exhibition “Humankind – Woodlands – Society” in the Ark of the Forest you can find out more about the changing significance of the woodlands. And the Erzherzog-Johann Viewing Tower (“Aussichtswarte”) offers phenomenal views over the alpine mountainscape.
Afterwards you have the opportunity to enjoy a lavish “Styrian Buffet” supper of delicious regional cuisine – a mouthwatering range of hot and cold specialities - at the Panorama Restaurant of the Alpine Guest House Bürgeralpe. And then the highlight of the whole evening – a live concert at the Ark of the Forest. At 8pm (20.00 hours) every Friday evening a wide range of solo artists and groups (see programme) perform on the specially constructed stage-on-the-lake. The absolute highlight of the evening is the Mariazeller Bergwelle when an impressive choreography of water, light, laser and sound creates a whole new dimension of experience, with 40-metre fountains in enchanting colours accompanying the live music. A delightful evening is rounded off by a cable car descent back down into the illuminated town of Mariazell.
Mariazeller Bergwelle 
