Sonnbühel · house history
Undated official account of construction, early use and Ella Schnetger.
01 / HISTORY WITH A VIEW
100 years. Sonnbühel.
A house on the mountain. And a history that joins you at the table.
Begin the journey through timeSonnbühel in winter. Mountain hut and skiers in a snow-covered Alpine panorama.
Newly supplied image version. The year of capture and image provenance are unconfirmed.
Winter view supplied by the user
1924 · CONSTRUCTION BEGINS1926–2026 · OUR ANNIVERSARYTHE PLACE REMAINS. THE STORY GROWS.
02 / A TRACE IN THE SNOW
Alfons Walde
The winter picture above shows the same scene as a painting in our archive: Sonnbühel in the snow, with the flag, the skiers and the slope behind – signed “Walde”. That signature leads us to Alfons Walde. Whether the painting really is his work has not yet been confirmed.
Alfons Walde (1891–1958) shaped the image of Tyrol with his winter landscapes. Museum Kitzbühel dedicates its Alfons Walde Collection to his work.
Visit Museum KitzbühelNote on the earlier Sonnbühel painting
The painting of Sonnbühel is a particularly intriguing lead in our image archive. The signature reads “Walde”. However, the available image catalogue provides neither a confirmed attribution nor a year of creation. A modern screenshot filename dates only the digital image – not the painting.
- Attribution
- Painting signed “Walde”; attribution to Alfons Walde has not yet been confirmed.
- Date of creation
- Date of the work unconfirmed
Alfons Walde · Self-portrait, 1936
Oil on cardboard, 60 × 45 cm · Museum Kitzbühel · Image source: Kunstverlag Alfons Walde · © Kunstverlag Alfons WaldeMuseum Kitzbühel – Alfons Walde Collection Image source
Hahnenkamm races · 19 and 20 March 1932
The dates refer to the announced races. Regional winter-sports context, not photographic evidence of the use of Sonnbühel.
Source: poster image supplied by the user · Organiser as printed: Kitzbüheler Skiclub · Designer unconfirmed
Historical race poster
Winter sports, 1932.
This poster announces the Hahnenkamm races on 19 and 20 March 1932. It adds regional winter-sports context to our journey through time.
03 / THE JOURNEY THROUGH TIME
Eight chapters. One special place.
Choose an era. Discover its story.
On the way to Sonnbühel. Winter sports enthusiasts in deep snow, with the house in the background.
Image version supplied by the user in improved quality. The year of capture, photographer and method of enhancement are unconfirmed.
Supplied by the user as an old photograph of Sonnbühel; photographer unknownRights clearance for this use is still open; supplying the image does not establish a licence.Image source
A house takes shape
Before a place becomes a legend.
The recorded building history begins in 1924. A private house for family and friends is built for Julius Bueb on the Hahnenkamm. Sonnbühel is not yet a mountain inn in the modern sense: first comes the house. Hospitality open to the public follows later.
Construction period 1924–1926 according to the house history. No dated foundation-stone ceremony is documented.Sonnbühel · house history01 / 08
FROM OUR IMAGE ARCHIVE
Then. And now.
Views of the house, mountain transport and shared moments. Images of Sonnbühel and the history of Kitzbühel are presented alongside one another – not as evidence that every photograph was taken at Sonnbühel.
An image selection for review. Rights will be checked in the next step. Uncertain dates remain explicitly open.
47 / 47 images in the archive
The house through time
Sonnbühel in winter. Skiers in front of the snow-covered house.
Image version supplied by the user in improved quality. The year of capture, photographer and method of enhancement are unconfirmed.
Supplied by the user as an old photograph of Sonnbühel; photographer unknownRights clearance for this use is still open; supplying the image does not establish a licence.Image source
On the way to Sonnbühel. Winter sports enthusiasts in deep snow, with the house in the background.
Image version supplied by the user in improved quality. The year of capture, photographer and method of enhancement are unconfirmed.
Supplied by the user as an old photograph of Sonnbühel; photographer unknownRights clearance for this use is still open; supplying the image does not establish a licence.Image source
Winter at the Sonnbühel mountain inn, viewed from the terrace towards the snow-covered mountain landscape.
Register dating: undated. A more recent sepia-toned photograph; the year of capture is open. It is not visual evidence for an opening in 1926.
Sonnbühel website; photographer not statedAccording to the register: clearance is open—request the rights holder and a print-ready file; rights clearance outstanding and still open for this use.Image source
Sonnbühel in summer with terrace, mountain forest and a broad view over the Kitzbühel Alps.
Register dating: published in 2020. The report refers to summer operations in 2020; the exact day of capture must be requested. The year of capture is not certain.
Martin SchmitzAccording to the register: clearance is open—request the rights holder and a print-ready file; rights clearance outstanding and still open for this use.Image source
Winter sun over Sonnbühel: house, terrace and a snow-covered mountain landscape.
Register dating: published in January 2025; publication date 04 January 2025. A year of capture is not separately stated.
Tom Leitner / Lifestyle FlüstererAccording to the register: clearance is open—request the rights holder and a print-ready file; rights clearance outstanding and still open for this use.Image source
Winter exterior view of Sonnbühel with a snow-covered mountain slope and a house sign from 1924.
Register dating: undated. The chronological placement and original credit must be requested. The sign, filename and publication context do not date the photograph.
Alexander Haiden according to image file / La LoupeAccording to the register: clearance is open—request the rights holder and a print-ready file; rights clearance outstanding and still open for this use.Image source
Mountain transport & winter
The old Hahnenkamm cable car above snow-covered slopes in front of the winter mountain panorama.
Register dating: “1928 according to the provider”. This indication is not independently confirmed and is not evidence of an opening; it must not be set against the documented railway opening in 1929. A print offered for sale is not a granted reproduction licence.
Wandbilder Tirol, image v007According to the register: clearance is open—request the rights holder and a print-ready file; rights clearance outstanding and still open for this use.Image source
Winter view from the Hahnenkamm cable car over the snow-covered valley landscape and surrounding mountains.
Register dating: undated; broadly placed after 1928. The location was identified through an archive article and comments; the exact dating and exact time of capture remain open.
Foto Holy; Stadtarchiv/Stadtmuseum Innsbruck, Ph-Holy-0279According to the register: clearance is open—request the rights holder and a print-ready file; rights clearance outstanding and still open for this use.Image source
A Hahnenkamm cable-car cabin in front of snow-covered slopes and a mountain panorama, seen from the upper station.
Register dating: February 1951. Use the Austrian National Library shelf mark for a high-resolution source. February 1951 is a register indication, not evidence of a connection to the year 1929.
USIS / Austrian National Library, US 21.247According to the register: Commons: Public Domain in the United States; check the status for Austria before print. Rights clearance outstanding and still open for this use.Image source
A modern Hahnenkamm gondola cabin above the summer mountain valley.
Register dating: 28 June 2015. The date denotes the modern state, not the railway in the chapter year 1929.
Kim Skipper EriksenAccording to the register: CC BY 2.0 – https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/; retain attribution and the licence link. Review for this use is still open.Image source
Kitzbühel’s skiing history
Four ski tourers on the ascent to Schwarzkogel in a broad high-alpine winter landscape.
Register dating: 1910, catalogue dating; media number 00522157. Public research preview. The indication 1910 is solely catalogue dating, not an independently confirmed year of capture.
IMAGNO/Austrian ArchivesAccording to the register: clarify the licence with IMAGNO; rights clearance outstanding and still open for this use.Image source
Skiers in the snow-covered Trappalp area, surrounded by simple mountain huts and broad alpine slopes.
Register dating: 1910, catalogue dating; media number 00522158. Public research preview. The indication 1910 is solely catalogue dating, not an independently confirmed year of capture.
IMAGNO/Austrian ArchivesAccording to the register: clarify the licence with IMAGNO; rights clearance outstanding and still open for this use.Image source
A dynamic female skier in knickerbockers in the snow.
Register dating: February 1939, catalogue dating; media number 00198170. Public research preview. “February 1939” is catalogue dating, not an independently confirmed year of capture.
IMAGNO/Skrein Photo CollectionAccording to the register: clarify the licence with IMAGNO; rights clearance outstanding and still open for this use.Image source
A ski tourer on a snow-covered ridge near Kitzbühel.
Register dating: 1939, catalogue dating; media number 00198172. Public research preview. 1939 is catalogue dating, not an independently confirmed year of capture.
IMAGNO/Skrein Photo CollectionAccording to the register: clarify the licence with IMAGNO; rights clearance outstanding and still open for this use.Image source
Spectators line a toboggan race in a winter setting near Kitzbühel; further sleds wait at the edge of the course.
Register dating: 1909. The dating is based on a caption and has not been independently confirmed.
Kitzbüheler Ski Club; request the original creditAccording to the register: clearance is open—request the rights holder and a print-ready file; rights clearance outstanding and still open for this use.Image source
A skier at a championship on the Hahnenkamm.
Register dating: 1925. The dating is based on a caption, not on independent image dating.
Kitzbüheler Ski Club; request the original creditAccording to the register: clearance is open—request the rights holder and a print-ready file; rights clearance outstanding and still open for this use.Image source
Spectators line the snow-covered Grub ski jump in front of a wooded mountain backdrop.
Register dating: 1920s; year contradictory. The image text states 1925, while the filename states 1927. Neither year should be given as the year of capture.
Kitzbüheler Ski Club; request the original creditAccording to the register: clearance is open—request the rights holder and a print-ready file; rights clearance outstanding and still open for this use.Image source
Slalom skiing at Ganslern in front of snow-covered slopes and spectators.
Register dating: 1937. The year is handed down in a caption and is not confirmed by the subject.
Kitzbüheler Ski Club; request the original creditAccording to the register: clearance is open—request the rights holder and a print-ready file; rights clearance outstanding and still open for this use.Image source
Black-and-white portrait of a winter sportsman with ski goggles and a neckerchief.
Register dating: 1950s. The 1950s are a register indication in the alternative text, not an independently confirmed year of capture.
Kitzbüheler Ski Club; request the original creditAccording to the register: clearance is open—request the rights holder and a print-ready file; rights clearance outstanding and still open for this use.Image source
Two men in ski clothing in conversation.
Register dating: 1953 according to the filename. The year 1953 is supported only by the filename and is not a confirmed year of capture.
Kitzbüheler Ski Club; request the original creditAccording to the register: clearance is open—request the rights holder and a print-ready file; rights clearance outstanding and still open for this use.Image source
Historic black-and-white image of a ski racer in racing posture with ski goggles and poles.
Register dating: undated. The portrait year is open; the register designation is not visual confirmation of identity or date. A career year must not be used as the image date.
Kitzbüheler Ski Club; request the original creditAccording to the register: clearance is open—request the rights holder and a print-ready file; rights clearance outstanding and still open for this use.Image source
Black-and-white portrait of a female skier in ski clothing before an alpine mountain backdrop.
Register dating: undated. The portrait year is open; no portrait year can be inferred from the image.
Kitzbüheler Ski Club; request the original creditAccording to the register: clearance is open—request the rights holder and a print-ready file; rights clearance outstanding and still open for this use.Image source
Black-and-white portrait of a ski racer with a medal and a “1974” patch.
Register dating: 1974 to be checked. The image file refers to a World Championship silver medal and the accompanying text to 1974; the year of capture must be confirmed. “1974 to be checked” must not be presented as a certain year of capture.
Kitzbüheler Ski Club; request the original creditAccording to the register: clearance is open—request the rights holder and a print-ready file; rights clearance outstanding and still open for this use.Image source
A winter sports scene in front of snow-covered mountains.
Register dating: January 1961, catalogue date 1961.01.2X. January 1961 is a catalogue indication and does not confirm a more exact date.
Photo: Oskar Spang, Stadtarchiv BregenzAccording to the register: CC BY 4.0 – https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/; name the author, licence link and changes when using it. Review for this use is still open.Image source
A female skier before a tightly packed audience at a winter sports event.
Register dating: January 1961, catalogue date 1961.01.2X. January 1961 is a catalogue indication and does not confirm a more exact date.
Photo: Oskar Spang, Stadtarchiv BregenzAccording to the register: CC BY 4.0 – https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/; name the author, licence link and changes when using it. Review for this use is still open.Image source
A winter athlete in front of spectators and a lift installation at a winter sports event.
Register dating: January 1962, catalogue date 1962.01.2X. January 1962 is a catalogue indication and does not confirm a more exact date.
Photo: Oskar Spang, Stadtarchiv BregenzAccording to the register: CC BY 4.0 – https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/; name the author, licence link and changes when using it. Review for this use is still open.Image source
Two skiers at a winter sports event in front of spectators and a mountain backdrop.
Register dating: January 1962, catalogue date 1962.01.2X. January 1962 is a catalogue indication and does not confirm a more exact date.
Photo: Oskar Spang, Stadtarchiv BregenzAccording to the register: CC BY 4.0 – https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/; name the author, licence link and changes when using it. Review for this use is still open.Image source
A skier carrying skis over a shoulder in a winter sports setting.
Register dating: January 1962, catalogue date 1962.01.2X. January 1962 is a catalogue indication and does not confirm a more exact date.
Photo: Oskar Spang, Stadtarchiv BregenzAccording to the register: CC BY 4.0 – https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/; name the author, licence link and changes when using it. Review for this use is still open.Image source
Two men at a ski event in front of spectators and a winter mountain backdrop.
Register dating: January 1962, catalogue date 1962.01.2X. January 1962 is a catalogue indication and does not confirm a more exact date.
Photo: Oskar Spang, Stadtarchiv BregenzAccording to the register: CC BY 4.0 – https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/; name the author, licence link and changes when using it. Review for this use is still open.Image source
A winter ski-racing scene with spectators; a skier in a patterned jumper holds poles in the foreground.
Register dating: January 1962, catalogue date 1962.01.2X. January 1962 is a catalogue indication and does not confirm a more exact date.
Photo: Oskar Spang, Stadtarchiv BregenzAccording to the register: CC BY 4.0 – https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/; name the author, licence link and changes when using it. Review for this use is still open.Image source
A ski racer with start number 8 and a Kitzbühel race bib in a winter spectator area.
Register dating: 21 January 1962, catalogue day date. The register lists this date as a catalogue day date; it is not derived from the filename.
Photo: Oskar Spang, Stadtarchiv BregenzAccording to the register: CC BY 4.0 – https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/; name the author, licence link and changes when using it. Review for this use is still open.Image source
A ski racer with start number 4 in a slalom race in Kitzbühel.
Register dating: 21 January 1962, catalogue day date. The register lists this date as a catalogue day date; it is not derived from the filename.
Photo: Oskar Spang, Stadtarchiv BregenzAccording to the register: CC BY 4.0 – https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/; name the author, licence link and changes when using it. Review for this use is still open.Image source
Ski racing in Kitzbühel: an athlete with a Kitzbühel race bib and skis, surrounded by spectators and other participants.
Register dating: January 1970; image number 786216473. Public preview. January 1970 is a register indication; no further dating can be inferred from the view.
Rolls Press/Popperfoto via Getty ImagesAccording to the register: Getty Images: licence required; clarify the specific use in the chronicle. Rights clearance outstanding and still open for this use.Image source
An alpine ski racer at an event in Kitzbühel; a regional sports image without a connection to the Sonnbühel building.
Register dating: around 1979; image number 658252712. Public preview. “Around 1979” is a register indication, not a certain year of capture.
Leo Mason/Popperfoto via Getty ImagesAccording to the register: Getty Images: licence required; clarify the specific use in the chronicle. Rights clearance outstanding and still open for this use.Image source
Female and male skiers with equipment in a crowded winter scene in Kitzbühel.
Register dating: 1980. The gallery catalogue dates the work to 1980; this is the gallery catalogue's work dating and is not independently confirmed visually.
Slim Aarons; source Staley-Wise GalleryAccording to the register: clearance is open—request the rights holder and a print-ready file; rights clearance outstanding and still open for this use.Image source
Hospitality & good food
Winter hospitality on the Sonnbühel terrace: guests enjoy food and drinks overlooking the snow-covered ski slopes.
Register dating: published in 2018; filename 05.02.2018. 2018 is a publication year; the day of capture suggested by the filename must be confirmed.
Hans-Werner RodrianAccording to the register: clearance is open—request the rights holder and a print-ready file; rights clearance outstanding and still open for this use.Image source
A daily menu at Sonnbühel with international cuisine, a wine selection and recommendations.
Register dating: published in 2018; filename 05.02.2018. 2018 is a publication year. The printed date 5 February 2018 dates the menu, not automatically the photograph's capture.
Hans-Werner RodrianAccording to the register: clearance is open—request the rights holder and a print-ready file; rights clearance outstanding and still open for this use.Image source
Ivan Marzola on the winter sun terrace – with guests, laid tables and a view of the snow-covered Kitzbühel mountains.
Register dating: published in 2018; filename 05.02.2018. 2018 is a publication year; the day of capture suggested by the filename must be confirmed.
Hans-Werner RodrianAccording to the register: clearance is open—request the rights holder and a print-ready file; rights clearance outstanding and still open for this use.Image source
Sunlit seats on the snow-covered terrace overlook the winter mountain landscape.
Register dating: published in 2018; filename 05.02.2018. 2018 is a publication year; the day of capture suggested by the filename must be confirmed.
Hans-Werner RodrianAccording to the register: clearance is open—request the rights holder and a print-ready file; rights clearance outstanding and still open for this use.Image source
Guests take a break on the sunny Sonnbühel terrace in front of snow-covered slopes.
Register dating: published in 2018; filename 05.02.2018. 2018 is a publication year; the day of capture suggested by the filename must be confirmed.
Hans-Werner RodrianAccording to the register: clearance is open—request the rights holder and a print-ready file; rights clearance outstanding and still open for this use.Image source
Summer terrace at Sonnbühel overlooking the Kitzbühel mountains.
Register dating: published in 2020. The report refers to summer operations in 2020; the exact day of capture must be requested. The year of capture is not certain.
Barbara OsthoffAccording to the register: clearance is open—request the rights holder and a print-ready file; rights clearance outstanding and still open for this use.Image source
Summer terrace at Sonnbühel with wooden furniture, parasols and a view of greenery.
Register dating: published in 2020. The report refers to summer operations in 2020; the exact day of capture must be requested. The year of capture is not certain.
Barbara OsthoffAccording to the register: clearance is open—request the rights holder and a print-ready file; rights clearance outstanding and still open for this use.Image source
Kaiserschmarrn as part of the hospitality at Sonnbühel.
Register dating: published in January 2025; publication date 04 January 2025. A year of capture is not separately stated.
Tom Leitner / Lifestyle FlüstererAccording to the register: clearance is open—request the rights holder and a print-ready file; rights clearance outstanding and still open for this use.Image source
Winter open-air concert in front of a snow-covered mountain backdrop at Sonnbühel.
Register dating: 2026; filename 08.02.2026. Event photograph; the exact date and requested image credit must be confirmed. 2026 and the filename 08.02.2026 are not yet confirmed as the exact capture or event date.
gldn.photos according to image file / La LoupeAccording to the register: clearance is open—request the rights holder and a print-ready file; rights clearance outstanding and still open for this use.Image source
Art & posters
An artistic view of the snow-covered Sonnbühel with a wooden house, winter figures and tracks on the mountain slopes.
Register dating: undated. Painting, not a photograph. The visible signature “Walde” is not a confirmed attribution; attribution, work date and rights must be confirmed. The screenshot filename 2018 is not a work date.
Sonnbühel website; painting with the signature Walde, attribution openAccording to the register: artist's and reproduction rights must be confirmed; rights clearance outstanding and still open for this use.Image source
Poster for the Hahnenkamm cable car in Kitzbühel with a winter mountain landscape and a reference to 22 ski runs.
Register dating: 1928, catalogue dating; media number 00522126. Lithograph, not a photograph. 1928 is catalogue dating for a lithograph, not a photographic year of capture.
IMAGNO/Austrian ArchivesAccording to the register: clarify the licence with IMAGNO; also check artist's rights. Rights clearance outstanding and still open for this use.Image source
A winter view of Sonnbühel as an oil painting.
Register dating: 1999. Oil painting, not a historic photograph. According to the auction catalogue, 1999 is the work date of the painting, not the depicted state of the building.
Thomas Metlewicz; reproduction Hampel Fine Art AuctionsAccording to the register: clarify artist's and reproduction rights separately; rights clearance outstanding and still open for this use.Image source
A good story stands up to a closer look.
What we know. What we are still researching.
“100 years” refers to the opening in 1926 recorded in the surviving chronicle. Construction dates back to 1924. Neither a precise opening date nor continuous operation as a public restaurant since 1926 is documented. The description “probably the oldest ski chalet in the world” is the establishment’s own assessment, not a verified worldwide comparison.
Historical research 1924–2026
Supplied house research, as of 22. Oktober 2026. Distinguishes the construction period, the recorded opening and public operation.
Stadtblatt Kitzbühel · Oktober 2009
Hans Winterberger: Hopes and plans for Hochkitzbühel 80 years ago, pages 8–9.
KitzSki · cableway chronicle
Tourism context and the opening of the Hahnenkammbahn in 1929.
Kitzbühel Magazin · Winter 2023
Tourism retrospective on the Tomschy era and the transition in 2015.
Sonnbühel · About us
Current official account of the concept, Ivan Marzola and Christian Harisch.
Image details are provided separately. The Hahnenkamm photographs show regional context, not documented visits to Sonnbühel. The CC images have been proportionally reduced and saved as WebP, without cropping or changes to their content. Other images from the house collection are not covered by a blanket permission for external reuse.
04 / THE NEXT CHAPTER