Bludenz combines medieval city history with church art and panoramic views from Muttersberg. The Städtle, as Bludenz’s old town is usually called, dates back to the Middle Ages. It covers the area that was surrounded by a city wall until the 19th century. Above the Alpine town, Muttersberg offers a different perspective on the region.
The Städtle, City History and Churches
The Bludenz City Museum has been housed in the so-called Upper Gate since 1922. Its focus is the city’s history in the Middle Ages and the early modern period. Those interested in historical development will also find notable landmarks throughout the city: the Historic Old Town Walk winds through picturesque lanes, past two gates and the remains of the old city wall, all the way to Gayenhofen Castle.
Churches add their own distinctive accents to the city’s history. The Trinity Church is located right in the old town and on the Austrian Way of St. James from Arlberg to Einsiedeln in Switzerland. The old St. Laurentius Church stands above Bludenz’s old town, with its distinctive onion dome. The Holy Cross Church was built between 1932 and 1934 to designs by architect Albert Otto Linder. Its round-arched windows feature stained-glass paintings by Carl Rieder, created in 1934: four angels and symbols of the eight Beatitudes.
The “Industrial Heritage” cultural trail links four important industrial buildings right in the old town; some are no longer used entirely in their original form. The trail also includes the founding building of the Getzner, Mutter & Cie. company. This takes visitors through another chapter of the city’s history, from religious buildings and medieval traces to the legacy of industry.
Art, Brewing History and Chocolate
Remise Bludenz offers regional, national and international artists a professional stage and boasts outstanding acoustics. At the Fohrenburg brewery, the Brewery Museum is housed in the old joinery, the brewery’s oldest building. The Stuba Brewery in this old joinery has space for beer tastings.
Chocolate is also part of the city’s production history: Milka Alpine Milk Chocolate has been produced in Bludenz since 1907. The Milka shop combines a factory outlet for Milka with a small museum about the history of chocolate. Visitors wishing to explore the city’s local character can discover a range of themes: the history of buildings and businesses, cultural events and chocolate production.
Val Blu adds another highlight with its public sauna area. It includes a Finnish sauna, Swiss stone pine infusions and a pond sauna that is unique in western Austria. This adds a wellness option to the cultural offerings, without taking attention away from the historic town centre.
Muttersberg, Themed Trails and Nature
The scenic Muttersberg lies above the Alpine town of Bludenz. It can be reached on foot or in just a few minutes by cable car. From this sunny balcony, views stretch from the peaks of the Verwall and Rätikon ranges across the Churfirsten and the Swiss Alpstein mountains to the Großes Walsertal. As well as the lanes and buildings, the expansive landscape is a highlight in its own right.
Those interested in art and mountain scenery will find works by eight renowned artists along the Alpine Art Muttersberg circular trail above Nüziders and Bludenz. Each stop is unique and shaped by individual perspectives on life in the mountains. The “Sunna-Weg” cultural and historical trail runs through the municipalities of Nüziders, Bludenz and Braz; its second stage leads from the Daneu Bridge in Bludenz to Rungelin. While Alpine Art explores artistic perspectives on life in the mountains, the Sunna-Weg connects municipalities and cultural and historical sites.
The plant life is also tied to specific locations: a species-rich nutrient-poor meadow lies directly east of the Muttersberg mountain station. Near the inn in Laz, a narrow strip is home to rare plants. These meadows are home to endangered species such as chive garlic, clustered bellflower and cowslip.
Planning Information
Bludenz Castle Garden can be reached through an ornate wrought-iron gate via the easternmost castle hill staircase. Various bus and train connections to the “Bahnhof” or “Postplatz” stops are listed for the Historic Old Town Walk. Check the relevant connections and current timetables before travelling.
Admission to the Bludenz City Museum is free with the Bludenz & Klostertal Premium Guest Card. Check the validity of the guest card and the current conditions before your visit. This makes it easy to weigh up city history, walks through the old town and views from Muttersberg as different highlights for a stay in Bludenz.
Discover more destinations: LorĂĽns, Bludesch, Stuben Am Arlberg, Brand, BĂĽrs, Gargellen, Sankt Anton Im Montafon, Sonntag.
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