Gmünd: Where the Porsche Legend Began

Nestled in the Carinthian mountains of southern Austria, the small town of Gmünd holds an outsized place in automotive history. It was here, in a modest sawmill, that Ferry Porsche and a small team of engineers built the very first Porsche 356 in 1948.

On our Alpine tours, we always make a stop at the Porsche Museum in Gmünd. It's not a grand facility — there are no multimedia presentations or corporate polish. What you'll find instead is authenticity: the original workshop, hand-built prototypes, period photographs, and a palpable sense of where it all began.

Standing in the space where Ferry Porsche turned his father's engineering legacy into a sports car company is a pilgrimage for any enthusiast. The 356 that emerged from this workshop was light, agile, and purposeful — principles that still define every Porsche built today.

After the museum, we typically drive north through the Nockalm Road — one of Austria's most beautiful mountain passes and a fitting tribute to the driving spirit that Porsche embodied. The road winds through alpine meadows and pristine forest, with views that seem to stretch to the Italian border. It's a reminder that some of the best roads are the ones the world hasn't discovered yet.