Minmetals Hallstatt Cultural Tourism Town is located in Luoyang Subdistrict, Boluo County, Huizhou City, Guangdong Province. It is a national 4A-level tourist attraction. Developed and constructed by Minmetals Real Estate under China Minmetals Corporation, the scenic spot is designed and built based on Hallstatt Town in Austria. Instead of a direct copy, it integrates the architectural styles of multiple Austrian towns and combines local mountain and water resources to create a European-style cultural tourism destination. The town covers a total area of about 1 million square meters, and the core sightseeing area covers about 200,000 square meters. Surrounded by mountains on three sides, it features an original ecological inner lake of 170,000 square meters. It blends Austrian architectural aesthetics, European cultural customs and local Lingnan features. Integrating sightseeing, wedding photography, immersive performances, leisure vacations, family entertainment and cultural experiences, the scenic area is equipped with plazas, commercial streets, themed venues, resort hotels and lakeside trails. It is also a well-known wedding photography base in South China, and has been awarded titles such as China-Austria Cultural Exchange Demonstration Town and National Characteristic Town Project.
History and Culture
The project is built based on the cultural heritage of Hallstatt Town in Austria. Hallstatt is a lakeside town at the eastern foot of the Alps, a World Cultural Heritage site with a long history of lakeside settlement and salt mining culture. Romantic lakeside buildings, music culture and beer culture are its iconic cultural symbols. During the design phase, the scenic spot absorbed the architectural features of towns in the Austrian Habsburg region, and incorporated European cultural elements including music, beer and lakeside lifestyle into plazas, buildings and landscapes to serve as a carrier for cultural exchange.
The town officially opened to the public in 2013. It quickly became popular for its unique European lakeside scenery and turned into a popular photography destination in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area. In 2015, it was successfully rated as a national 4A-level tourist attraction. In later years, the scenic spot kept upgrading its business forms and broke away from pure sightseeing. It launched the immersive live performance Feast of the Queen, which combines script interaction, drama and role-playing to deliver an all-scene immersive experience in the Greater Bay Area. Meanwhile, the scenic spot regularly introduces intangible cultural heritage items from Boluo and holds music festivals, beer festivals and themed events to realize two-way cultural integration between European themes and local Lingnan culture.
As the China-Austria Cultural Exchange Demonstration Town, it continuously undertakes folk cultural exchange functions. It showcases Austrian folk culture to visitors through architecture, themed exhibitions and festivals. Rooted in Huizhou, it drives cultural tourism consumption in surrounding areas and has become a representative cultural tourism project in Boluo.
Main Attractions
Cultural Plaza
The Cultural Plaza is the core distribution space near the town entrance and a landmark area of the town. An international chess themed musical fountain sits at the center of the plaza, surrounded by Gothic spire churches and colorful European wooden houses. It is a key spot for wedding photography and tourist check-ins. The architectural decorations of the plaza adopt traditional Austrian decorative elements. The fountain runs at fixed hours, serving as the starting point to experience the European atmosphere of the town.
Music Plaza
The Music Plaza is themed on Austrian music culture and decorated with statues of musicians to pay tribute to the tradition of Austrian classical music. It hosts open-air performances, street flash mobs and small concerts. Themed shows are arranged during holidays. The plaza features an open space and fine lake views, suitable for leisure and photography.
Beer Plaza
The Beer Plaza draws inspiration from Austrian beer culture. The buildings are brightly colored. Characteristic restaurants, bars and cultural and creative shops line the streets, recreating the laid-back atmosphere of streets in Austrian towns. It is ideal for afternoon tea and light meals, and also the main venue for beer festivals held in the scenic area.
Austrian Style Commercial Street (Grain Street)
The commercial street stretches along the lake and follows the street layout of Austrian towns. It houses an Austrian post office, bakery, café, boutique cultural and creative stores and bookstores. The buildings are characterized by sloped roofs, colorful exterior walls and wooden decorations. The street retains the slow-paced vibe of European towns, allowing visitors to stroll around and enjoy casual shopping.
8632 Iron Bridge
Spanning the lake, the 8632 Iron Bridge is a landmark landscape bridge of the town. It is decorated with European towers and backed by church complexes, making it a popular photography spot. The name carries romantic implications, and many wedding photos are taken here. Visitors standing on the bridge can overlook the whole lake and the town buildings.
3D Glass Bridge
The 3D Glass Bridge crosses Hallstatt Lake. It is 260 meters long with a height of 60 meters above the water. The bridge deck is equipped with 3D crack special effects. It combines sightseeing and interactive experience. Visitors on the bridge can overlook lake views, distant mountains and the panorama of the town. This is a separately charged experience item in the scenic area.
1786 Chapel
The 1786 Chapel is a white spired European church building and the landmark of the town. Designed in Gothic style and built beside the lake, its reflection on the water forms a beautiful view. It is mainly used for wedding shooting and small ceremonies, and is one of the most representative photography spots in the town.
Egret Wetland Park
Located around the lake area, Egret Wetland Park is an original ecological wetland with dense vegetation. It is suitable for bird watching and lakeside walking. The quiet ecological scenery contrasts with the European buildings, offering a peaceful place for nature sightseeing.
Starlight Yacht Pier
Starlight Yacht Pier sits by the lake and provides lake cruise tours. Visitors can admire the town buildings and lakeside scenery from the water. The cruise route passes the church, iron bridge and commercial street for water-view sightseeing. This is a separately charged item.
Alice Wax Museum
Alice Wax Museum is an indoor themed venue in the scenic area, displaying wax figures of celebrities. It is suitable for family visits and photo taking. Admission to this museum is charged separately.
Tour Route
Visitor Center → Cultural Plaza → 1786 Chapel → 8632 Iron Bridge → Austrian Style Commercial Street → Beer Plaza → Music Plaza → Egret Wetland Park → Starlight Yacht Pier → 3D Glass Bridge → Return
Travel Tips
- Recommended visiting time is 3 to 4 hours. A half-day trip is enough. Reserve time in the late afternoon to shoot lakeside sunset views.
- Photography is recommended in the morning or late afternoon for soft light. Light-colored and French-style outfits match well with European buildings.
- Some amusement projects and venues inside the scenic area require separate tickets. Visitors can buy single tickets or combo tickets according to needs; combo tickets provide better value.
- Some performances and theatre shows are closed for maintenance on Tuesdays. If you plan to watch immersive performances, avoid Tuesdays. Check the official WeChat account for schedules before departure.
- Family travelers can prioritize the wax museum, boat rides and children’s play areas. Visitors who prefer quiet walks can choose Egret Wetland Park and lakeside trails.
- The scenic area gets crowded during holidays. It is advised to visit on workdays to avoid long queues.
Notes
- High-altitude experiences such as the glass bridge and rock climbing have restrictions on height, weight and health conditions. Visitors with high blood pressure or acrophobia are not recommended to take part.
- Food and drinks inside the scenic area are relatively pricey. You may bring drinking water and light snacks. Public restrooms are available.
- Consult the scenic area in advance for rules on wedding and commercial photoshoots. Large lighting equipment is banned in certain zones.
- Trails around the lake can be slippery. Keep an eye on children near the lake to prevent falling into water.
- Pets are allowed only if they follow the scenic rules and are kept on leashes. Pets are not permitted in some indoor venues.
- Facilities may be closed for irregular maintenance. The availability of amusement projects is subject to on-site notices and updates from the official WeChat account.
Transportation
- Self-driving: Navigate to Minmetals Hallstatt Cultural Tourism Town. Free open-air parking lots are provided. It takes about 40 minutes from downtown Huizhou and around 1.5 hours from Guangzhou or Shenzhen.
- High-speed rail: Take high-speed rail to Huizhou North Station, then take a taxi to the scenic area, which takes roughly 25 to 30 minutes.
- Bus: Local visitors in Boluo can take Bus L1 or Bus 222 to the nearby stop and walk into the scenic area.
Opening Hours
The regular opening hours are 09:30–18:00, with ticket checking stopping at 17:30. On weekends and statutory holidays, the closing time extends to 20:00, with night lighting and night tours available. The scenic area stays open on Tuesdays, but theatre immersive performances and some amusement facilities will be suspended for maintenance. The actual availability of projects is subject to the day’s notice.
Tickets
The basic sightseeing ticket adopts differentiated pricing. Tickets for workdays are cheaper, while prices rise on weekends and statutory holidays. The sightseeing ticket only covers access to the scenic area. Extra tickets are required for the 3D Glass Bridge, wax museum, lake cruises, rock climbing and other experiences. Combo tickets covering multiple attractions are sold at a better price than individual tickets.
Search for the official WeChat account “五矿哈施塔特艺术小镇” for the latest updates.
Online Booking
Click here to jump to the Trip.com ticketing platform for ticket purchase.