Schenna: Cultural History and Hiking Trails

When choosing Schenna as your destination, you can focus on architectural and local history or on marked trails. The cultural landmarks differ in age and function; the range described for hiking extends from meadows and alpine pastures to high-alpine areas. This lets you plan your trip around the topics that interest you: historic buildings, frescoes, traditional legends or an extensive network of trails.

Schenna Castle and religious buildings

Schenna Castle was built around 1350 on the commission of the famous Margarethe “Maultasch” and retains largely original furnishings. Visits are only possible as part of a guided tour; online registration is required. The visiting conditions apply to 2026. Check them again before your trip so you can plan your castle visit accordingly.

The mausoleum in Schenna is a 19th-century Neo-Gothic religious building and the final resting place of Archduke Johann of Austria. The term “Neo-Gothic” describes its architectural style; its function as a final resting place links the mausoleum to Archduke Johann. Here, architecture and the history of a specific person come together.

The Johannes Chapel in Schenna’s Old Parish Church contains very well-preserved 14th-century frescoes. St. Martin’s Church is Schenna’s oldest historic building and dates from the 12th century. In chronological terms, the church therefore predates the frescoes and the 19th-century mausoleum. Together, these landmarks represent different historical reference points in Schenna: a historic building, frescoes and a Neo-Gothic religious building.

Marked trails and cable car

Schenna’s marked trail network covers 200 kilometres, extending from the edge of Merano through meadows and alpine pastures to the high-alpine peaks of Hirzer and Ifinger. This figure describes the network as a whole, not the length of a single route. As the routes available may change, check current trail conditions before setting out on a specific hike.

The Verdins–Tall cable car provides a direct connection to the Tall-Hirzer hiking area. It connects Verdins at 842 metres with Tall at 1,450 metres and takes you right into the hiking area. Unlike the total length of the marked trail network, this is a named connection with two stated elevations. Check the cable car’s current operating information for your travel dates.

Legends Trail

The Legends Trail presents six legends selected from Schenna’s village chronicle. The information boards display them in German, Italian and English. Its theme differs from architectural and art history: the focus is on a selection of local stories, not the dating of a building or the design of a religious structure. If you are interested in traditional stories, this focus offers another facet of Schenna.

Discover more destinations: Tisens, Riffian, St. Leonhard In Passeier, Lana An Der Etsch, Ulten, Algund, Nals, Plaus

For an overview of the wider area: Burggrafenamt.