Customs, knowledge, craft techniques | Knowledge about rafting on the upper Drau # 2023

KNOWLEDGE ABOUT RAFTING ON THE UPPER DRAU

The sites of the Upper Drau are vividly shown in the film. People and nature, culture and landscape are presented as a harmonious whole, with the intangible world heritage at its center.

Every year, six villages build a raft and travel along the last Austrian stretch of the Drau in order to keep the ancient knowledge and experience of rafting alive. The Drau was an important west-east connection in Carinthia until the 20th century and was considered the "Carinthian timber route" for sawmills and later cellulose factories from the 17th century onwards. From Upper Carinthia, round and sawn timber, iron products and other goods were transported down the Drau on rafts.

IMMATERIAL CULTURAL HERITAGE

Customs, knowledge and old craft techniques

In the 15 documentaries, the intangible cultural heritage is presented as an integral part of the Austrian cultural landscape. The films search for traces of the past in order to make the creation and changes of intangible cultural heritage visible. They document the current situation, whereby the character that creates identity for the present is also highlighted. And they address the question of what importance this heritage plays for the future of the Austrian cultural landscape.

“Herritage Austria” takes you to the most beautiful cultural landscapes in Austria. Elaborately designed documentaries portray long-held traditions and customs, explore popular pilgrimage sites and show how culture and nature intertwine in the heart of Europe.