Johnsbacher Naturnachterlebnis

In civil twilight we enter the story of Johnsbach as the "university of climbing,” while the light slowly fades behind the peaks of the Reichenstein group. Johnsbach is not only the most beautiful end of the world and a place of memory, but also one of the last refuges for the natural night.

It is considered one of the darkest places in Central Europe and is part of the "darksky reserve" in the heart of Austria. On a clear night, we can see up to 6,000 stars with the naked eye. Expert:in thought during the first photon measurements that the devices were defective because the values were so low. We sharpen our senses, hear the rustling of the water, and feel how our eyes begin to work in the ‘gray area.’

During a short hike, we talk about the dark sides of light and why Johnsbach is so dark (low population, bowl-like location). Looking up, we see light that has been traveling to us for thousands of years; we look back into the past and the Milky Way – our cosmic home – seems within reach. The day and night rhythm (also circadian rhythm) is not only significant for the animal and plant world but is essential to our health. We understand the night as our own habitat, leave this place as ‘guardians of the darkness,’ and take a piece of this peace and tranquility back into our everyday lives.