The Giant Samson – a Living Cultural Treasure

Experience the impressive Samson parades and immerse yourself in a centuries-old tradition that enchants the Lungau region with its gigantic figures and fascinating stories.

Parade in Salzburg Lungau region with a large soldier puppet, decorated buildings, and people in traditional costumes marching on the street.

The Samson giant figure has been documented since 1635 and stands for an Old Testament figure with superhuman powers - being inherent in his long hair. He symbolizes the battle of the Jews against the Philistines, a legend that tells that he slew 1000 Philistines with a donkey's jawbone near Lehi. Most of the Samson figures carry such a jawbone as a symbol of strength. Many legends and speculations mystify this giant figure from the Salzburg Lungau region. The Samson Parade was entered in the UNESCO list of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Austria back in 2010.

There are twelve of these Samson figures in the inner alpine region, ten of them in the Salzburg Lungau region (Mariapfarr, Mauterndorf, Muhr, Ramingstein, St. Andrä, St. Margarethen, St. Michael, Tamsweg, Unternberg and Wölting) and two in neighboring Styria (Krakaudorf and Murau).

A Special Highlight

The Samson parades take place between June and September as part of different events of the Lungau Alpine Summer and the Harvest Festival. Accompanied by a traditional band and two dwarfs, the Giant Samson dances the energy-sapping Samson Waltz at these events. It is an unforgettable experience, a cultural event of paramount importance for both the spectators and the elect man who is entitled to carry the giant figure of Samson.

A parade in Salzburg Lungau region features people in traditional costumes and large, colorful masks on a street with buildings.

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