Patsch

The municipality of Patsch is located in the south of Innsbruck at the foot of the 2,246 m high Patscherkofel mountain.

Altitude: 998 m asl

Kirchdorf, located along the ancient salt road from Hall to Matrei, together with Kehr, Rinnerhöfe, Sillwerk, Ruggschrein, Ahren and Bahnhof forms the municipality of Patsch, a charming little holiday resort (see pic). The highest elevation is the Patscherkofel mountain, a summit of the Tux Alps. “Patsche“ or “Pats“, as it used to be called, was mentioned for the first time in 1200 and is considered to be one of the oldest villages of the southern low mountain range due to its long settlement history. In 1399 the entire village, except one single building, was destroyed by a devastating fire. Today the 190 m high Europe’s bridge overstretches the Silltal valley beneath the village of Patsch.

The Patscherkofel, local mountain of Patsch, is the first choice excursion destination in summer. Great trails take you into the Alpine Garden Patscherkofel boasting more than 400 different local plants. Another popular destination is the nature reserve Rosengarten, accessible from Patsch or the Grünwalder Hof farm. Intact nature, the crystal clear mountain air and the calm spots will make you feel completely relaxed. In the nature reserve there is also the archaeological place of discovery at the Goldbichl, a cult site dating back to the Bronze Age.

In the village itself there is a tennis and a golf course, as far as leisure time activities are concerned. In winter, however, the Patscherkofel mountain transforms into a well-liked skiing area that has become famous in the Olympic Winter Games of 1976, when Franz Klammer won the downhill gold medal. Still today the Olympia slope reminds this significant event. In order to make your holidays even more varied, there are 20 km of ski slopes in all levels of difficulty as well as a 3 km long toboggan run.

Worth to be visited is the parish church dedicated to Saint Donatus, also illustrated on the municipal coat of arms. After a devastating fire in 1399 that destroyed the entire church except for the steeple, it was reconstructed on the ancient remains of the Romanesque church.

In Eastertide the Easter grave of 1767 is exhibited, which is a special highlight in the Christian year. Moreover there are further sacred buildings such as the Edith Stein chapel located only a stone’s throw from the Europe’s bridge, as well as the former pilgrimage site Heiligwasser. But also the house paintings of Josef Strobl, decorating numerous farms in Patsch and surroundings, are particularly eye-catching. And the above mentioned 190 m high Europe’s bridge (Europabücke) is not only the highest bridge of Europe, but also a popular spot for bungee jumpers. Breathtaking!

Our tip: the surroundings of Patsch is ideal for snow-shoeing, a great way of discovering the fairytale-like landscape in winter.