Sights & traditions in the Kaunertal
Experience Tyrolean nature and culture
Nature meets culture in the nature park and glacier region of the Kaunertal.
The customs, culture, and the nature of Tyrol are lived out, cherished, and cared for in the Kaunertal! Find out what makes the region special and which highlights you definitely won't want to miss out on!
From museums and churches to historic buildings and stories to special events and festivals. Given the multitude of things to do, boredom is guaranteed to be nowhere in sight...
Museen und Ausstellungen im Kaunertal
Reisen Sie in die Vergangenheit – oder brechen Sie zu einem ganz besonderen Naturerlebnis auf. Im Kaunertal ist beides möglich! Besonders sehenswert sind das Talmuseum Kaunertal und das Flügelmuseum von Anton Wille in Nufels. Das Naturparkhaus Kaunergrat beherbergt mit der Ausstellung „Magie der Vielfalt“ eine weitere für die Region bedeutsame Sehenswürdigkeit.
Museum and Exhibitions in the Kaunertal
Talmuseum Kaunertal
Travel back in time or set off for a very special nature experience. Both are possible in the Kaunertal! Particularly worth seeing are the Kaunertal Valley Museum and the Anton Wille's grand piano museum in Nufels. The Kaunergrat Nature Park Museum is home to the "3000 m VERTICAL" exhibition, another important attraction for the region.
Kaunertal Valley Museum
As everyone knows, collecting is a part of human nature. So it's not surprising, then, that not a few historically valuable treasures have made their way into the Kaunertal Valley Museum. In the basement of the campsite administration building next to Sporthotel Weißseespitze, you leave the present day behind and learn more about the struggles of past generations who lived in the Kaunertal.
Flügelmuseum
Was im Flügelmuseum ausgestellt wird? Genau, Flügel! Dabei ist das Museum nicht nur aufgrund des Grundrisses einzigartig: Es wurde in der Form eines Konzertflügels gebaut, und Anton Wille hat dort historische Flügel zusammengetragen. Der Organist, Holzkünstler und Bauer hat viele davon selbst renoviert und wieder zu neuem Leben erweckt. In seinem Flügelhaus gibt er auch regelmäßig Konzerte.
Grand Pianos Museum
What's on display at the Grand Piano Museum? Grand pianos, of course! The museum is unique not just for its collection: it was built in the shape of a grand piano to house Anton Wille's collection of historic grand pianos. Wille, an organist, wood artist, and farmer has restored many of them and brought them back to life. He regularly gives concerts at the museum.
Kaunergrat Nature Park Museum
The Kaunergrat Nature Park Museum is located on the Gachenblick directly on the mountain road between the Kaunertal and the Pitztal. The Nature Park Museum is right in the heart of the Kaunergrat Nature Park.
The Nature Park Museum's exhibition "3000 m VERTICAL" helps you to get to know the Tyrolean mountains in a completely new way. The diversity of the nature park's habitats is brought closer to visitors during an interactive hike through the peaks of the Kaunergrat. In addition, you visually embark on a "dream journey into the past," more precisely the Bronze Age and the time of the Romans.
Churches and chapels as religious sights
Especially in the countryside, the people of Tyrol tend to remain devout Roman Catholics. Various religious sites in the Kaunertal stand as reminders of this faith. Would you like to know more about "Tyrol as a Holy Land"? A visit to the following churches and chapels is also a journey through significant eras of art history.
Interesting religious celebrations include the Tyrolean Sacred Heart Fire. Every year in mid- to late-June, the mountains are set "aflame” to mark the festival of the Sacred Heart (8 days after Fronleichnam/Corpus Christi). Read more about Kaunertal's typical religious and cultural events.
The historical and mystical in the Kaunertal
Mystical and historical places abound in the Kaunertal. Reason enough to visit at least one of these special places. Berneck Castle at the valley entrance, for example, is perched on a 150 m high rock spur. The three beautifully painted townhouses in Kauns that once belonged to the castle are always worth a visit.
Not to forget:the Ögghöfe are cultural monuments and the oldest surviving farmhouses in the Kaunertal. These are high above Feichten, with a first written mention in 1420. Two of the three farms are used as conference centres and holiday apartments; the third is privately owned.
Tradition and customs also live on myths and the legends and stories of the Kaunertal date back to the Bronze Age. Since time immemorial, people have felt the magic in the Kaunertal mountains. Let yourself be drawn into the past with the following legends:
The beautiful the Kaunertal nature and wildlife
The Kaunertal is known and loved as a nature park and glacier region - and with good reason! Tourists can experience several alpine climates at a time in this unique spot of Tyrol; there's even a glacier with ice year-round. This provides an excellent refuge for a wide variety of animal and plant species to survive and thrive. Amazing and sometimes unbelievable, creatures large and small have adapted to the landscape and the climate.
Kaunertal nature and wildlife are probably the most beautiful sights in the region! Kaunertal's sun herbs which cover the sun-drenched mountain slopes play a special role here. These herbal "all-rounders" promise a holiday for all the senses, whether collected in the Kauner herb garden, on guided herbal hikes, or served up in tasty soups and herbal liqueurs.
More about the Kaunertal sun herb route...
During your Tyrolean holiday in nature, you'll also want to explore...
- the dry grassland in Kauns, Kaunerberg, and Faggen, a unique phenomenon north of the main ridge of the Alps;
- the forest and shrub interpretive trail in Kauns, covering more than 40 species of indigenous trees and shrub and crossing the dry grassland;
- the Fendel fen, a managed wetland home to very rare plants;
- the Piller Moor, a historic natural monument and one of the most beautiful bogs in Europe.
Life flourishes in Tyrol and not just flora, but also fauna. Did you know that the largest ibex colony in Austria lives in the Kaunertal? The marmot also feels particularly at home in the Ötztal Alps. As do more than 1,100 species of butterflies and the rare European dark bee, the original honeybee.
Adlerblick Viewing Platform and the Miners’ Climb
Want to see the grand sweep of the Kaunertal at the beginning of your holiday? There's nowhere better to do this than from the Adlerblick viewing platform! Take a deep breath and let the surrounding three thousand meter peaks, the wild nature, and countless magical places take your breath away. On a more than 100 m high rock wall above Feichten, you can enjoy views that will take your breath away.
Ready for another journey into the past? A great excursion for the whole family is the Mine View vantage point, including a tour of the mines and old miners’ cottage.
Kaunertal Glacier Road
The most beautiful "dead end" in the Alps
26 km, 29 hairpin bends, 1,500 m change in elevation: these figures just give a glimpse of what you'll experience on Tyrol's highway to the permanent ice. From the valley village of Feichten, there are 29 turns to take you to the edge of the glacier at Weißseeferner. Numerous viewpoints and historic buildings provide opportunities to stop along the way. Relax on the sun terrace of the glacier restaurant or walk into a real glacial crevasse? One of the most beautiful high mountain roads in the Alps makes it possible!
By the way,motorcyclists in particular love riding the Kaunertal Glacier Road! It's just one of the many beautiful motorcycle tours in Tyrol's Kaunertal. At 2,750 meters there is also the highest postbus stop in Austria. Did you know?
The nature park and glacier region in autumn
Autumn in the Kaunertal is also all about tradition and customs. As the heat of summer fades away slowly, but surely, the leaves turn colour and the days get shorter and cooler. The valley's inhabitants enjoy the last rays of sunshine, while herdsmen prepare to bring their flocks back to the valley. This is the start of a very special season in the Kaunertal, full of rich scents and colours. Harvest time in Tyrol is something you absolutely should come to smell, taste, and experience!
For many, late summer/early autumn is the best time of the year. With the driving down of the livestock, the harvest festival, and richly laden tables, you will get to the people and the diversity of the nature park and glacier region best. Spend a holiday full of variety, mountain cuisine, and simple pleasures. Nowhere is this better than in the huts and alpine pastures of the Kaunertal!
Learn when and where exactly the livestock drives will take place in September.
- Gepatschalm
- Wetlandinalm
- Verpeilalm
- Falkaunsalm
- Aifneralm
- Fendler Alm
A great tip for an active autumn: plan a hike to the various pastures on the Kaunergrat! You will not only enjoy the impressive mountain panoramas, but also regional Tyrolean delicacies in the huts along the way.
A traditional Advent celebration in the Kaunertal closes the year with another attraction. As you can see, there is always something going on in the nature park and glacier region. Get the best holiday deals right now!
