Ian Payne 4am - 7am
Picturesque Austrian town that inspired ‘Frozen’ erects fence to stop tourists taking selfies
19 May 2023, 16:07 | Updated: 19 May 2023, 16:09
A stunning Austrian town that inspired the hit Disney film Frozen has erected a towering wooden fence in a bid to stop tourists taking selfies.
The Austrian town of Hallstatt, located on the western shore in Austria's mountainous Salzkammergut region, boasts beautiful 16th Century wooden houses overlooking the lake.
Architecture that's said to have inspired the award-winning animated film, the protected Unesco World Heritage site has seen a tall wooden fence built in a bid to protect the privacy of locals.
According to Mayor Alexander Scheutz, the town's 750 residents have seen their picturesque home overrun with more than 7,000 tourists everyday.
Listen and subscribe to Unprecedented: Inside Downing Street on Global Player
It's left many residents wishing the tourists would just "let it go" and find a new film to fixate on.
Now, in a bid to combat the invasion of privacy, the mayor has taken more drastic measures.
Two fences appeared in the town earlier this week, partially blocking the view of Hallstatt’s famous backdrop.
It's reported that as a result of the publicity, the wall has now been temporarily taken down but Scheutz wishes to build a permanent barrier to remind tourists of their impact on the lives of residents.
The fence has since been taken down, but Hallstatt's mayor says he wants to put up a banner to remind tourists that people live in the area.
Read more: Man charged after theft of Judy Garland's ruby slippers from The Wizard of Oz
Read more: Ant and Dec 'stepping back' from Saturday Night Takeaway after 20 years
Frozen raked in 1.282 billion dollars at box offices worldwide when it was first released in 2013.
Breaking all previous records, it became the top grossing animated film of all time, with the town of Arendelle capturing the hearts of millions.
The social media backlash following the fence's construction has since led to them being taken down.
Scheutz add: “The only thing that would help is if the photo point is no longer a photo point.”