The author and mountaineer Ignaz von Kürsinger (1795–1861), one of the first climbers of the Großvenediger in 1840, coined the epithet weltalte Majestät (World-old Majesty).

On 9 August 1828, an expedition of 17 men, including the Habsburg archduke John of Austria, failed in their attempt to climb Großvenediger due to an avalanche.

It wasn't until 3 September 1841, forty years after the first ascent of the Großglockner, that a team led by Josef Schwab made the first successful attempt on the Großvenediger summit, starting at the northern foot in Neukirchen in the Salzach Valley, climbing up southwards along the Obersulzbach tributary valley and over the Stierlahnerwand.

[2] The ascent from the Defreggerhaus is considered one of the easiest, although the risk of crevasses and the narrow ridge crossing to the summit should not be underestimated.

The way leads to the northwest, slightly rising to the steep ascent of the Venediger and finally reaches the broad shoulder and narrow ridge to the summit.

All three climbs on the Großvenediger are technically not difficult, but the higher elements pose a risk, as they lead across a glacier terrain full of crevasses.