Montafon
Encyclopedia
Montafon is a valley in Austria
that extends from the city of Bludenz
to the Silvretta
mountain range. It is also known in the local dialect as Muntafu.
The Stand Montafon is the association of the ten valley villages. The main town is Schruns
. Travelling from Bludenz
, you enter state road B188 which takes you by the old cement plant of Lorüns and through the town of Lorüns. After driving through the magic Alma woods and past the Tränabächle (brook of tears) the valley opens to its main splendor at St. Anton (in the local dialect: "Santatöni") on the left, and Vens and Vandans on the right. St. Anton, which is not to be confused with its larger and more famous sister, St. Anton am Arlberg, is the hometown of the Stemer clan and the Battlogg clan. On you travel by Rodund, the main center-valley electrohydric plant of the Vorarlberger Illwerke, through Gantschier and Kaltenbrunnen and on to Schruns
and Tschagguns (in the local dialect: "Schru und Tschaggu"). The mountain town of Bartholomäberg spreads its wings above Schruns, with its outliers Jetzmunt and Lutt watching over St. Anton and its southeastern outliers Kristberg and Innerberg watching over the Silbertal valley. The Silbertal stretches from Schruns to the outpost of the Fellamendli in a south-easterly direction pointing towards the Arlberg
mountain range. The hamlet of Latschau, with its hydroelectric power station and the main base of the Golm ski resort, watches over Tschagguns opposite from Bartholomäberg.
From Schruns and Tschagguns onward you cross the Montafon midpoint that divides the outer valley ("Außerfratte") from the inner valley ("Innerfratte"). As you arrive in St. Gallenkirch, you will be able to branch off at Galgenul towards Gargellen, another magically rugged branch valley that terminates at the ski resort of Gargellen. Continuing in the main Montafon valley, you will pass through Gortipohl and on to Gaschurn (in the local dialect: "Gaschorra") and then Partenen, where the road starts to snake up to the Silvretta
mountain pass.
A number of celebrities, including Al Dassler, have stayed in the valley. Some of the older folks still talk about the long nights in Schruns playing cards and drinking with Ernest Hemingway
and John dos Passos
. The Snows of the Kilimanjaro and several other novels and short stories were written in, or they contain material from, the Montafon and the Silvretta glaciers. Later, the famous German novelist and poet Erich Kästner
repeatedly visited the valley, as did the former German chancellor Helmut Kohl
. The noted opera singer Elisabeth Schwarzkopf
spent her last years in Schruns, where she died on August 2, 2006.
The Montafon is famous for skiing, hiking, and mountain biking
. There are two 9-hole golf
courses, one in Tschagguns
and one in Partenen.
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
that extends from the city of Bludenz
Bludenz
Bludenz is a town in the state of Vorarlberg in Austria. The town, surrounded by mountains, lies at the meeting point of five different valleys: The Klostertal, The Montafon, The Walgau, The Brandnertal, The Groß Walsertal....
to the Silvretta
Silvretta
The Silvretta Alps are a mountain range of the Central Eastern Alps shared by Tirol, Vorarlberg and Graubünden . The Austrian states of Tirol and Vorarlberg are connected by a pass road . The majority of the peaks are elevated above three thousand metres and are surrounded by glaciers...
mountain range. It is also known in the local dialect as Muntafu.
The Stand Montafon is the association of the ten valley villages. The main town is Schruns
Schruns
Schruns is the main village of the Montafon valley in Vorarlberg, Austria, in the Bludenz district.In the west, one can see one of the most popular hiking and climbing mountains in Vorarlberg, the Zimba, which is called the "Vorarlberger Matterhorn"....
. Travelling from Bludenz
Bludenz
Bludenz is a town in the state of Vorarlberg in Austria. The town, surrounded by mountains, lies at the meeting point of five different valleys: The Klostertal, The Montafon, The Walgau, The Brandnertal, The Groß Walsertal....
, you enter state road B188 which takes you by the old cement plant of Lorüns and through the town of Lorüns. After driving through the magic Alma woods and past the Tränabächle (brook of tears) the valley opens to its main splendor at St. Anton (in the local dialect: "Santatöni") on the left, and Vens and Vandans on the right. St. Anton, which is not to be confused with its larger and more famous sister, St. Anton am Arlberg, is the hometown of the Stemer clan and the Battlogg clan. On you travel by Rodund, the main center-valley electrohydric plant of the Vorarlberger Illwerke, through Gantschier and Kaltenbrunnen and on to Schruns
Schruns
Schruns is the main village of the Montafon valley in Vorarlberg, Austria, in the Bludenz district.In the west, one can see one of the most popular hiking and climbing mountains in Vorarlberg, the Zimba, which is called the "Vorarlberger Matterhorn"....
and Tschagguns (in the local dialect: "Schru und Tschaggu"). The mountain town of Bartholomäberg spreads its wings above Schruns, with its outliers Jetzmunt and Lutt watching over St. Anton and its southeastern outliers Kristberg and Innerberg watching over the Silbertal valley. The Silbertal stretches from Schruns to the outpost of the Fellamendli in a south-easterly direction pointing towards the Arlberg
Arlberg
Arlberg is a mountain range or massif between Vorarlberg and Tyrol in Austria.The highest peak is the "Valluga" at . The name Arlberg derives from the tradition of the "Arlenburg," who are said to have once established themselves on the Tyrolean side of the Arlberg passes . Another story derives...
mountain range. The hamlet of Latschau, with its hydroelectric power station and the main base of the Golm ski resort, watches over Tschagguns opposite from Bartholomäberg.
From Schruns and Tschagguns onward you cross the Montafon midpoint that divides the outer valley ("Außerfratte") from the inner valley ("Innerfratte"). As you arrive in St. Gallenkirch, you will be able to branch off at Galgenul towards Gargellen, another magically rugged branch valley that terminates at the ski resort of Gargellen. Continuing in the main Montafon valley, you will pass through Gortipohl and on to Gaschurn (in the local dialect: "Gaschorra") and then Partenen, where the road starts to snake up to the Silvretta
Silvretta
The Silvretta Alps are a mountain range of the Central Eastern Alps shared by Tirol, Vorarlberg and Graubünden . The Austrian states of Tirol and Vorarlberg are connected by a pass road . The majority of the peaks are elevated above three thousand metres and are surrounded by glaciers...
mountain pass.
A number of celebrities, including Al Dassler, have stayed in the valley. Some of the older folks still talk about the long nights in Schruns playing cards and drinking with Ernest Hemingway
Ernest Hemingway
Ernest Miller Hemingway was an American author and journalist. His economic and understated style had a strong influence on 20th-century fiction, while his life of adventure and his public image influenced later generations. Hemingway produced most of his work between the mid-1920s and the...
and John dos Passos
John Dos Passos
John Roderigo Dos Passos was an American novelist and artist.-Early life:Born in Chicago, Illinois, Dos Passos was the illegitimate son of John Randolph Dos Passos , a distinguished lawyer of Madeiran Portuguese descent, and Lucy Addison Sprigg Madison of Petersburg, Virginia. The elder Dos Passos...
. The Snows of the Kilimanjaro and several other novels and short stories were written in, or they contain material from, the Montafon and the Silvretta glaciers. Later, the famous German novelist and poet Erich Kästner
Erich Kästner
Emil Erich Kästner was a German author, poet, screenwriter and satirist, known for his humorous, socially astute poetry and children's literature.-Dresden 1899–1919:...
repeatedly visited the valley, as did the former German chancellor Helmut Kohl
Helmut Kohl
Helmut Josef Michael Kohl is a German conservative politician and statesman. He was Chancellor of Germany from 1982 to 1998 and the chairman of the Christian Democratic Union from 1973 to 1998...
. The noted opera singer Elisabeth Schwarzkopf
Elisabeth Schwarzkopf
Dame Elisabeth Schwarzkopf, DBE was a German-born Austrian/British soprano opera singer and recitalist. She was among the most renowned opera singers of the 20th century, much admired for her performances of Mozart, Schubert, Strauss, and Wolf.-Early life:Olga Maria Elisabeth Friederike...
spent her last years in Schruns, where she died on August 2, 2006.
The Montafon is famous for skiing, hiking, and mountain biking
Mountain biking
Mountain biking is a sport which consists of riding bicycles off-road, often over rough terrain, using specially adapted mountain bikes. Mountain bikes share similarities with other bikes, but incorporate features designed to enhance durability and performance in rough terrain.Mountain biking can...
. There are two 9-hole golf
Golf
Golf is a precision club and ball sport, in which competing players use many types of clubs to hit balls into a series of holes on a golf course using the fewest number of strokes....
courses, one in Tschagguns
Tschagguns
Tschagguns is a village in the Montafon valley, Bludenz district, Vorarlberg, Austria. Tschagguns offers skiing with its own ski resort called Golm. Tschagguns offers hiking, mountain biking, winter sports and much more. Gauertal is a valley found in Tschagguns between Mittagspitze and Golm. It is...
and one in Partenen.