At the Seefelder Wildsee

Ghost houses now fall victim to demolition excavators

Before the excavator flattens everything, the hollowed-out buildings become the scene of a major fire drill.(Bild: Birbaumer Christof)

Completely desolate and devastated "ghost houses" in Reith near Seefeld in Tyrol have been a source of excitement and discussion for some time. The "lost place" on Seefeld Lake has now come to an end faster than expected. There is probably a decisive reason for this. 

For decades, three buildings directly on the shores of the much-visited Seefeld Wildsee lake were left to decay. More than 30 years ago, the former tourist establishments closed for good. Since then, they have been left to their own devices.

Over time, children and young people discovered the "lost place" as an adventure playground. They did not shy away from acts of vandalism. And apparently not even from climbing onto the roof of one of the dilapidated buildings. A father saw this as he walked around the lake with his children. "It's only a matter of time before something terrible happens," he alerted the "Krone" newspaper.

One of the haunted houses(Bild: Birbaumer Christof)

Meetings took place after the report
The reports apparently also alarmed the owner of the 5,000 square meter property, who spends most of the year doing business in Dubai and is only rarely in Tyrol. A meeting was held with Mayor Dominik Hiltpolt.

After decades of stagnation, the demolition came sooner than expected. Probably also thanks to the reporting in the "Tiroler Krone" newspaper.

Dominik Hiltpolt, Bürgermeister der Standortgemeinde Reith bei Seefeld

"I conveyed the municipality's position to the owner that the situation cannot continue as it is, as the building fabric will continue to deteriorate and the townscape in the popular local recreation area directly on the Wildsee will suffer massively. Before any real dangers arise here and the place continues to be frequented by vandals, it was agreed that demolition of the buildings was unavoidable." That was in the spring of this year.

Property is worth millions of euros
Hiltpolt expected the demolition to be completed by the fall. But the excavators have already started work. "It will be a total demolition. Nothing will be left standing," says Hiltpolt. And what will happen to the property then? "I don't know. I haven't asked." The value of the site: several million euros.