Bludenz between Old Town history and mountain views

Bludenz combines medieval history with churches, cultural venues and a strong connection to the mountains. Locally, the Old Town is usually called “Städtle”; from Muttersberg, views stretch across several Alpine regions to the Großes Walsertal. When planning your trip, you can choose between town history, regional culture and mountain panoramas as distinct areas of focus.

Town history in the Old Town

Bludenz’s Old Town, locally usually called “Städtle,” dates back to the Middle Ages and covers the area that was surrounded by a town wall until the 19th century. The Historic Old Town Tour leads through picturesque lanes past two gates and remains of the old town wall to Gayenhofen Castle. Several bus and train connections are listed for the tour, with stops at “Bahnhof” or “Postplatz.” If you are planning to use public transport, check the current timetable before travelling.

Bludenz Town Museum has been housed in the so-called “Obere Tor” since 1922. Its focus is the history of the town in the Middle Ages and early modern period. Admission to the Town Museum is free with the Bludenz & Klostertal Premium Guest Card; check the card benefit before your visit. The castle garden also has a precisely specified entrance: you can reach it via the easternmost Schlossberg steps, through a wrought-iron gate.

Churches and cultural history

The Dreifaltigkeitskirche is in the heart of Bludenz’s Old Town and on the Austrian Way of St. James from the Arlberg to Einsiedeln in Switzerland. The Heilig-Kreuz-Kirche in Bludenz was built from 1932 to 1934 to plans by architect Albert Otto Linder. Its stained-glass windows, created in 1934 by Carl Rieder, depict four angels and symbols of the eight Beatitudes in the round-arched windows. The old St. Laurentiuskirche stands above the Old Town, with its distinctive onion dome.

Bludenz Remise is also part of the cultural scene: it provides regional, national and international artists with a professional stage and has outstanding acoustics. The Fohrenburg Brewery Museum is located in the old joinery, the brewery’s oldest building. The brewery’s Stuba, in this old joinery, has space for beer tastings.

Industrial history and regional themes

The “Industrial Culture” cultural trail links four important industrial buildings in the heart of Bludenz’s Old Town, some of which are no longer used in their original form, as well as the founding house of Getzner, Mutter & Cie. The route thus connects several buildings with a company’s founding house. Milka Alpine Milk Chocolate, which has been produced in Bludenz since 1907, is another link to local production. The Milka-Lädele combines a Milka factory outlet with a small museum on the history of chocolate.

The wellness offering includes Val Blu, with a public sauna area, Finnish sauna, Swiss pine infusions and a pond sauna that is unique in western Austria. The different cultural and leisure options each have their own focus, from town and industrial history to saunas.

Muttersberg and mountain views

The scenic Muttersberg above the Alpine town of Bludenz can be reached on foot or in just a few minutes by cable car. From Muttersberg’s sun terrace, views extend from the peaks of the Verwall and Rätikon ranges across the Churfirsten and the Swiss Alpstein mountains to the Großes Walsertal. Bludenz lies at the heart of five valleys.

The Alpine Art Muttersberg circular trail above Nüziders and Bludenz features works by eight renowned artists. Each stop is unique and shaped by individual perspectives on life in the mountains. The plant life is also described at specific locations: a species-rich dry meadow lies directly east of the Muttersberg mountain station; near the inn in Laz, there is a narrow strip with rare plants. Endangered species such as leek, clustered bellflower and cowslip can be found in these meadows.

Check the location details of a specific hotel offer against the destinations you plan to visit.

Discover more destinations: Stuben Am Arlberg, Raggal, Sankt Gerold, Dalaas, Bürserberg, Gaschurn, Vandans, Schruns.

For the main travel overview: Bludenz.