Nauders and Altfinstermünz: castles at the Reschen Pass

The Via Claudia Augusta, the Roman road opened around the year 50 from northern Italy to Augsburg, already crossed the Reschen Pass. In the 10th century Nauders became one of the courts of the County of Vinschgau; the Naudersberg court was a court of high justice whose authority reached from the Lower Engadine over the pass as far as Finstermünz. It lasted until the partition of Tyrol in 1919. Anyone visiting the castles here is therefore visiting an administrative and border region that was divided between two states only in more recent times.

The Habsburgs and the Engadiners faced each other for a long time. After unpaid interest to Naudersberg, a two-year war broke out in 1475; the Peace of Basel brought calm in 1499. In this period Finstermünz also became a bulwark: from 1472 Archduke Sigmund had the Siegmundsegg border fortification built here, together with a bridge over the Inn, to protect against raids from the Engadine.

The princely court castle was built at the beginning of the 14th century and first mentioned in records in 1325. Until 1919 it was the seat of state authorities, among them the district court. Since 1980 the castle has been privately owned and has been under restoration ever since.

On the upper floors you can see exhibition rooms of the castle complex as it was in the 16th century, as well as court offices, the Napoleon room, the castle chapel and, in the former armoury, a gallery of paintings by artists from Nauders. In the attic are old prison cells from the 18th century, and there is an exhibition of agricultural tools. A café belongs to the castle. Whether and when it is open is stated by the operators on their site and on nauders.com. In rain the castle is a good choice, because the exhibition rooms are indoors.

Nauders Fortress is a blocking fort built around 1840 to protect Tyrol’s southern border. According to nauders.com it is the only fully preserved fortress of old Austria. Opposite stands the barracks with its bunkers cut into the mountain; from here the Niklas wall, dating from the early Middle Ages, climbed the mountain, and remains of it can still be seen. In the summer season guided tours are offered, in winter the fortress stays closed; the dates are on nauders.com.

The Altfinstermünz toll station lies at around 1,020 m in the Finstermünz gorge, where the Inn forms the border between Tyrol and Graubünden. From the 9th to the 11th century there was a place of justice here; in 1159 the place is first mentioned as “Vinestana silva”, and from about 1300 tolls were levied. By its own account it is the only medieval toll station in Tyrol that is so well preserved. When the Hochfinstermünz road was built in 1854, the old station lost its importance; the customs post had already been moved to Martinsbruck in 1779.

You can see the bridge tower in the middle of the Inn with its covered wooden bridge, which has been open to the public again since 1999, and the five-storey gate tower, a gate tower from the time of Emperor Maximilian. Inside are a Baroque room, a late Gothic hall and a modern gallery; the visitor centre has a shop. The small Sigmundseck fortress is connected to the cave castle by a rock passage about 35 metres long. In the natural cave a film about the complex and its history is shown. The chapel of the Assumption, consecrated at the beginning of the 17th century, holds an altar by Andreas Thamasch from 1696. The setting served Luis Trenker in 1932 as a location for one of his films.

Access is on foot: from the Hochfinstermünz car park on path no. 13 in about 20 minutes, from Vinadi on the Swiss side in about 15 minutes. How the car parks may be used changes from time to time; notices are on altfinstermuenz.com. The Klausenschenke in the complex is open in summer.

The summer season is the right time for this excursion: the Altfinstermünz fortress and the Klausenschenke are open only from early summer to the end of September, and Nauders Fortress only with guided tours in the summer season. The castle has its own hours. In winter Nauders is a ski resort with the Bergkastel ski area; the castle in the snow then makes a lovely photograph.

For children Altfinstermünz has towers, a cave with a film, a rock passage and the covered wooden bridge over the Inn. The path from the car park runs over forest and rock ground: allow time for small children. Whether dogs may enter the buildings is not stated on the operators’ sites: ask in advance. In rain the exhibition rooms of Naudersberg Castle and of the gate tower offer a dry setting.

In the Altfinstermünz complex there is the Klausenschenke, open from early June to the end of September. A café belongs to Naudersberg Castle. Further options are in the village of Nauders; nauders.com lists the offer under “Genuss & Kulinarik”.

Lake Reschen with the church tower is on the way there, and so is Lake Haid with its lake walk. If you want more culture, return via Burgeis with Marienberg Abbey or combine the day with Churburg Castle near Schluderns.

Ferienhotel Kastellatz is in Prämajur above Burgeis in the municipality of Mals, at the foot of the Watles. To Nauders it is 31 kilometres, about 40 minutes by car, via Reschen and the Reschen Pass; to Altfinstermünz another 7 kilometres or so. Before you set off, check the traffic situation on the main road, where roadworks can occur. If you are looking for a hotel in Nauders you will find one there; with us you will find peace and quiet at 1,740 m.

The stretch over the pass is part of the excursion: the Reschen Pass is at around 1,500 m and was already an important Alpine crossing in Roman times.

By car: From Prämajur drive down to Burgeis, then via Reschen and the Reschen Pass to Nauders. To Altfinstermünz it is another 7 kilometres, about 10 minutes, down the main road. Take an ID with you: Austria is across the border.

By bus and train: Take bus 277 to Mals station, then the cross-border bus line between Mals and Landeck over the Reschen Pass. The Reschensee Guest Pass is valid for local transport in South Tyrol; check before you travel how the section in Austria is covered. Timetables are on suedtirolmobil.info.