Thaur: Castle, Churches and Karwendel Nature Park

Thaur offers two distinct points of interest for a stay: the history of the castle and churches, and trails leading to religious sites and into the Karwendel Nature Park. The Way of the Cross to the Romedius Chapel, the Palm Sunday procession and the ascent of Thaurer Rosskopf differ considerably in purpose and trail character. You can plan your visit around whether you are particularly interested in cultural history, the procession or a mountain ascent.

Castle, Court Seat and Village History

Thaur Castle was first mentioned in a document in 1232 as belonging to the Counts of Tyrol, and became a princely castle in 1284. The year 1232 marks its first documentary mention, while 1284 marks its status as a princely castle. The castle also served as the seat of the regional court and was therefore associated with the administration of justice. Ulrich’s Church is considered the oldest surviving church building in Tyrol and adds another historical focal point in Thaur.

An exhibition on the upper floor of the Romediwirt is devoted to Thaur’s village history and documents 6,000 years of settlement. It also displays specimens, eggs and pellets from four owl species. The exhibition thus brings together two different perspectives: the long history of settlement and specific exhibits on owls. This complements the themes of the castle and churches with insights into village history and birdlife.

Romedi Chapel and Palm Sunday Procession

A steep Way of the Cross leads from the village parish church of the Assumption of Mary to the Romedius Chapel at an elevation of 793 m. Grottoes and a romantic archway are features of the route. The Romedi Chapel is located in the Karwendel Nature Park. Here, a religious destination and a location within the nature park come together.

During Thaur’s Palm Sunday procession, an ensemble consisting of a Palmesel and a figure of Christ, more than 240 years old, is pulled on a small cart by altar servers from Thaur parish church to the Romedi Chapel, onward to Rum and back to Thaur. Both route descriptions mention the parish church and the Romedi Chapel; the procession then continues via Rum before returning to Thaur. This distinguishes the procession route from the Way of the Cross, whose destination is the Romedius Chapel.

Trails to Rosskopf and the Emperor’s Column

Thaurer Rosskopf offers a different kind of route: almost the entire ascent can be made along a forest road; only the final five minutes to the summit cross are along a narrow trail. At Rosskopf, the change in trail type comes at the end, whereas the steep Way of the Cross, with its grottoes and archway, defines the character of the route to the Romedius Chapel. These route features make it easy to distinguish between the two destinations.

The Emperor’s Column is also located in the Karwendel Nature Park and can be reached from Thaur via the “Thaurer Alm” car park. Bus routes 501 and 502 go to the Thaur Dorf stop; from there, it is about a 30-minute uphill walk to the Thaurer Alm car park. This time estimate applies to the section to the car park. Check the bus timetable before travelling, as transport details may change.

Discover more destinations: Leutasch, Inzing, Mieders, Absam, Mils Bei Hall, Ranggen, Götzens, Mützens.

Return to the main travel overview: Innsbruck-Land.