Volders: History, Culture and the Voldertal

A stay in Volders can focus on historic buildings, archaeological traces, a hike or the landscape. Highlights include Friedberg Castle, the Himmelreich settlement, St. Charles’s Church, the Historic Circular Hiking Trail and the Voldertal. If you are looking for a hotel in Volders, it helps to think of these as different options when planning your trip.

Culture and traces of the past

Friedberg Castle was built in the first half of the 13th century in the Late Gothic style by the powerful Counts of Andechs. The castle’s Knights’ Hall features a fresco created around 1510 that extends across all four walls. It was uncovered in 1968. The construction period, the creation of the fresco and its later uncovering mark different moments in the castle’s history.

The Raetian settlement of Himmelreich lies on a hilltop between Volders and Wattens. It was inhabited from the 2nd century BC to the 4th century AD and was destroyed by fire. The foundations of eight buildings can be viewed at the site. Its period of settlement dates back long before Friedberg Castle was built; Himmelreich adds an archaeological perspective to the history of construction.

St. Charles’s Church is also among the local cultural highlights: it is known for its unusual architecture. The tradition of Maibaumkraxln, or climbing the maypole, is also maintained in Volders. Alongside the history of buildings and settlements, a local tradition offers another distinct cultural point of interest.

Historic Circular Hiking Trail and the Voldertal

The Historic Circular Hiking Trail is about 9.5 km long, relatively easy and suitable for families with children. It starts at the car park by St. Charles’s Church near the Volderer Inn Bridge and passes, among other places, the Himmelreich open-air museum. This gives you specific details for planning, including the approximate route length, starting point and a stretch beside a site of cultural and historical interest.

The Voldertal is a side valley of the Inn Valley and extends across the municipal areas of Tulfes and Volders. On the eastern side, within the municipality of Volders, the slopes are relatively gentle; there are numerous alpine pastures in the valley. The Voldertal stream flows through the Voldertal and joins the Inn at Volders. The valley, slopes, alpine pastures and stream offer a range of landscape features to explore.

If Schwarzbrunn is your destination, the most commonly used route from Volders goes via the paid Volderwildbad car park. From there, a wide track continues into the Voldertal. Various regional buses stop at Volderer Brücke; the stop is near St. Charles’s Church. If you are planning to travel by bus, check the current timetable before setting off.

You have different points of reference when weighing up cultural history and hiking: the historical themes range from the Raetian settlement to the construction of Friedberg Castle and the fresco from around 1510. The circular hiking trail, by contrast, offers a separate route option of about 9.5 km with a named starting point.

Discover more destinations: Aldrans, Neustift im Stubaital, Ranggen, Navis, Götzens, Patsch, Ellbögen, Tulfes

View the broader travel overview: Innsbruck-Land.