It is located in the historic Lungau region, in the valley of the upper Mur river, north of Katschberg Pass on the border with the state of Carinthia.

The Murtal Straße (B96) branch-off leads eastwards down the Mur valley to the district capital Tamsweg and Murau in Styria.

The Lungau region has been continuously settled at least since the Bronze Age; the local Hallstatt culture was gradually assimilated by Celtic immigrants about 450 BC.

After the Celtic kingdom of Noricum became a Roman province in 15 BC, a road was laid out across Katschberg Pass, leading to the city of Teurnia in the south.

Together with the Lungau region it became a part of the Prince-Archbishopric of Salzburg in the late 13th century, ruled from nearby Mauterndorf, later from Moosham Castle.