Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
crossed the Lech River, Reutte (marked by the onion-domed church) was made a market
town and eclipsed Breitenwang in importance. Any gliders circling? They launch from just
over the river in Höfen.
For centuries, this castle was the seat of government—ruling an area called the “judg-
ment of Ehrenberg” (roughly the same as today's “district of Reutte”). When the emperor
cameby,hestayedhere.In1604,therulermoveddowntownintomorecomfortablequarters,
and the castle was no longer a palace.
Now climb to the top of Ehrenberg Castle. Take the high ground. There was no water
supply here—just kegs of wine, beer, and a cistern to collect rain.
Ehrenberg repelled 16,000 Swedish soldiers in the defense of Catholicism in 1632.
Ehrenberg saw three or four other battles, but its end was not glorious. In the 1780s, a local
businessman bought the castle in order to sell off its parts. Later, in the late 19th century,
whenvagabondsmovedin,theroofwasremovedtomakesquattingmiserable.Withtheroof
gone, deterioration quickened, leaving only this evocative shell and a whiff of history.
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Schlosskopf
From Ehrenberg, you can hike up another 30 minutes to the mighty Schlosskopf (“Castle
Head”). When the Bavarians captured Ehrenberg in 1703, the Tiroleans climbed up to
the bluff above it to rain cannonballs down on their former fortress. In 1740, a mighty
new castle—designed to defend against modern artillery—was built on this sky-high stra-
tegic location. By the end of the 20th century, the castle was completely overgrown with
trees—you literally couldn't see it from Reutte. But today the trees have been shaved away,
and the castle has been excavated. In 2008, the Castle Ensemble project, led by local archi-
tect Armin Walch, opened the site with English descriptions and view platforms. One spot
gives spectacular views of the strategic valley. The other looks down on the older Ehrenberg
Castle ruins, illustrating the strategic problems presented with the advent of cannon.
In the Town
Reutte Museum (Museum Grünes Haus)
Reutte's cute city museum offers a quick look at the local folk culture and the story of the
castles. There are exhibits on Ehrenberg and the Via Claudia, local painters, and more—ask
to borrow the English translations.
Cost and Hours:
€3; May-Oct Tue-Sat 13:00-17:00, closed Sun-Mon; early Dec-Easter
Wed-Sat 14:00-17:00, closed Sun-Tue; closed Easter-end of April and Nov-early Dec; in
the bright-green building at Untermarkt 25, around corner from Hotel Goldener Hirsch, tel.
05672/72304,
www.museum-reutte.at
.
