Page 253 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Austria

T Y ROL AND VOR ARLBERG  251

q Kufstein the highest peak in the Zahmer
Kaiser range, with great views of
Road map C4. * 18,000. £ @
n (05372) 62207. ∑ kufstein.com the Kaisergebirge.
The remains of a Stone Age
settlement have been found w St Johann in Tirol
in this health resort and tourist Road map C4. * 9,000. £ @
centre on the Bavarian border. n (05352) 63335-0.
On a rocky hill to the north
of the town stands the Feste St Johann in Tirol is a small
Kufstein, a fortress with a small winter sports resort, with good
barbican and the Emperor’s downhill runs on the north ern
Tower. Today it houses a regional slopes of the Kitzbüheler Horn A picturesque snow-covered scene
museum and the Heldenorgel and splendid conditions for in Kitzbühel
(Heroes’ Organ), built to comm- cross-country skiing. The town
emorate all who were killed in has several Baroque build ings, however, the town is filled by
World War I. The late-Gothic and the walls of the parish house daredevils arriving for the
church of St Vitus was rebuilt in feature original frescoes from Hahnenkammrennen, the most
the 17th century in the Baroque 1480. The first large Baroque dangerous downhill ski race in
style, but in the 20th century church in the area was built in the world.
it was partly returned to its 1728 by Abraham Millauer, on But Kitzbühel is more than a
original Gothic appearance. the site of an earlier Gothic sporting resort; untouched by
Nearby stands the Holy Trinity structure. Inside Mariä wartime ravages, it has many
Chapel, with a beautiful Baroque Himmelfahrtskirche (church of historic sights. The Andreas­
altar dating from 1765. the Assumption of the Virgin kirche was built in 1435 on the
Mary) are magnificent vault site of a Romanesque church; in
Environs paintings by one of the great 1785 it was rebuilt in the
Hechtsee and Stimmersee, masters of Baroque art, Simon Baroque style. Inside are late-
two small, scenic lakes west of Benedikt Faistenberger. Gothic columns and 15th-
Kufstein, are excellent for water cen tury traceries and frescoes.
sports enthusiasts. About 30 km There is also an interesting
(22 miles) northeast of Kufstein, e Kitzbühel main altar piece, by Simon
beyond the Kaisergebirge ridge Road map C4. * 8,500. £ @ Benedikt Faistenberger.
known as Zahmer Kaiser (Tame n Hinterstadt 18, (05356) 66660. Adjacent to the parish church
Emperor), is Walchsee, a beguil- ∑ kitzbuehel.com is Liebfrauenkirche (church
ing town and lake of the same of Our Lady), with a square
name, with many fine houses One of the most charming and tower. The main altar is also by
with picturesque façades and a upmarket of the Tyrolean ski Faistenberger. The 14th-century
good water sports centre. The resorts, the town of Kitzbühel has St Catherine’s church in the city
road from Kufstein along the quaint cobbled streets leading centre is now a monument
Sparchenbach river leads to out into gentle summer pastures to those killed in the two
Stripsenkopf, at 1,807 m (5,929 ft) filled with cows. Every January, world wars.

The mighty fortress with its Emperor’s Tower in Kufstein

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