Silbertal brings its history to life through mining, legends and nature: Miners dug for silver, copper and iron on the slopes of Kristberg. The permanent exhibition at the Montafon Mining Museum Silbertal focuses on mining in Montafon in the 14th, 15th and 16th centuries. Alongside this historical perspective, themed trails explore traces of mining and local stories.
Mining History at Kristberg
The museum shares an old schoolhouse from the 1920s with Silbertal’s municipal office. St. Agatha Chapel on Kristberg offers another link to the region’s mining history. It is dedicated to Saint Agatha of Catania, the patron saint of goldsmiths and bell founders, and connects with copper and silver mining on Kristberg. Together, the museum, mining history and chapel offer different perspectives on the crafts of the past.
Themed Trails with Different Focuses
The Gagla Trail in Silbertal brings together traces of old mining, legendary figures, wild nature and stories from the valley. The Silver Trail on Kristberg focuses specifically on mining: The 2.7-kilometre educational trail has twelve stations, some of them interactive. The Gagla Trail weaves together several themes, while the Silver Trail explores mining history through its stations.
At the end of the Silver Trail, near the Miners’ Chapel and below the Kristberg Panorama Inn, you’ll find the Silver Play World, an additional attraction for children. The Litzbach Adventure Trail has a different focus on nature: This nature trail features eleven interactive stations and is particularly suitable for children and families. The Montafon Forest School also offers guided forest tours, where children and adults explore the forest with their senses and learn about its functions.
Stories and Landscape
The Verwall European Protected Area has been in place in Silbertal since 1995 and covers a total of 12,122.91 hectares. The Litzbach mountain stream rises within the area. The Legends Trail connects stories with the landscape: It provides access to ten legendary sites through stories and information, and offers a view of Wildried, one of the highest-altitude raised bogs in the Alps.
The Legends Trail begins at St. Agatha Chapel after taking the Montafon Kristberg Cable Car up the mountain. This gives it a different focus from the mining-themed stations on the Silver Trail: Here, places associated with stories and views of Wildried take centre stage. When choosing what to do, consider whether you’re looking for mining history, legends and landscapes, or nature experiences with interactive stations. Each offering has its own focus; the activities mentioned should not be taken as one combined circular route.
Planning Your Stay
For a guided introduction to the forest, the Montafon Forest School’s guided tours are a separate option; for a nature trail with stations, consider the Litzbach Adventure Trail. If you’re particularly interested in mining, the museum and Silver Trail offer different ways to explore the subject. The Silbertal Kristbergbahn bus stop is served by bus route 680. Check the current timetable before travelling.
Discover more destinations: Buchboden, Sankt Anton Im Montafon, Gaschurn, Ausserbraz, Lorüns, Bürserberg, Bartholomäberg, Gargellen.
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