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Wattens, the Birthplace of Swarovski Crystals

I explored Swarovski Crystal Worlds. An unforgettable adventure in Wattens, Austria!

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Located 15 km from Innsbruck is Wattens, the place where Daniel Swarovski opened a crystal cutting factory in 1895, which took off and became a well-known brand worldwide.

In 1995, the company celebrated its 100th anniversary by opening here a fascinating theme park, Swarovski Crystal Worlds (Kristallwelten).

We couldn’t miss it, so after we left the car in the spacious parking lot, we headed towards the entrance, to the ticket booth. Big crowds, equally high prices (23 euros per person) but the curiosity matched it.

In the park, which spans 7.5 hectares, we discovered several contemporary art works created by artists from all around the globe, in which crystals are a constant presence.

“Prologue III” is one of them, in the form of a huge steel wheel, inside of which, on a net, thousands of crystals in the shape of raindrops are caught, reflecting light in the sun.