Tiroler Steinöl® – Lake Achensee's local wellness elixir
When Martin Albrecht discovered the “burning stones” over 100 years ago, he immediately realized what he had found. This marked the beginning of the success story of the Tiroler Steinöl® (shale oil), one of the most popular products for wellness treatments. Audio-guided tours at the Vitalberg visitor centre in Pertisau take visitors through the history of the shale oil miners, and as a highlight, there is a special tour for children available.
The Albrecht family from Pertisau is behind the discovery and extraction of Tiroler Steinöl®. Already in 1902, Martin Albrecht senior found the first oil shale on the shores of Lake Achensee. He struck the “Mariastollen” mining gallery and for over 15 years worked with two miners to manually extract the oil shale, smouldering the shale and extracting Tiroler Steinöl® for the first time. When oil shale deposits were running low at Lake Achensee, Martin Albrecht continued his search. In 1908, he found what he was looking for and discovered a huge oil shale deposit at an elevation of 1,500 metres above sea level in the Bächental, a side valley of the Karwendel mountains. After the Achensee distillery was destroyed by an avalanche in 1917, the Albrecht family built a new distillery in the Bächental valley. At that time, the Tiroler Steinöl® still had to be carried in 25 litre cans on “Kraxen” (back carrier frames) from the distillery over the Gröbner Joch to Achenkirch and from there, the oil was transported to the processing plant in Jenbach. To this day, the oil shale is mined sustainably and in an environmentally friendly method in the Bächental valley. Today, the oil is transported by road to the Steinölwerke in Jenbach for processing.
What is Tiroler Steinöl®?
The active ingredients found in the oil shale originate from prehistoric sea creatures and plants, in other words, from a time when the entire continent was still under water. Due to its unique composition and the high content of organically-bound sulphur, Tiroler Steinöl® has an extraordinarily beneficial and caring effect on humans and animals. Whether as a mild skincare or haircare product or as a tried and tested household remedy for aching muscles – Tiroler Steinöl® is processed into a wide variety of products. Many wellness hotels offer treatments with the precious elixir, above all using shale oil bath essences, massage oil and fango packs.
How is Tiroler Steinöl® produced?
The oil shale is wedged between massive limestone rocks, therefore blasting is used to break up the surface of the rock. The rocks are crushed and sorted by hand before being transported by a material ropeway to the smouldering plant 100 metres below. The oil shale is crushed into smaller pieces and fed into the state-of-the-art shaft furnaces for further processing. At a temperature of ca. 450°C, the oil shale releases a gas which is condensed and liquefied in a downstream unit. The Tiroler Steinöl® obtained in this way will then be filtered, distilled and processed into various products at the Steinölwerke in Jenbach. Oil shale mining only takes place during the summer months.
Or is it giant's blood after all?
It is often rumoured that Tiroler Steinöl® is not actually the result of processing oil shale, but the healing blood of the giant Thyrsus that was spilled during a battle. The Tiroler Steinöl Vitalberg visitor centre offers special guided tours suitable for children aged 4 to 12 years. The legend of the giant Thyrsus is told in an entertaining and child-friendly way, making it an amazing experience for children.
Good to know
At the Atoll Achensee SHOP you will find a selection of Tiroler Steinöl® products. Tiroler Kräuterhof is another manufacturer of nature-inspired products in the Achensee region.
