Pfaffenhofen: Culture and Trails Between the Inn and Hocheder

Pfaffenhofen combines impressive traces of the past with a landscape stretching from the Inn Valley up into the mountains. The village extends from the town centre south of the Inn to the 2,797 m-high Hocheder, its highest elevation. This gives you an interesting choice when planning your trip: Would you primarily like to explore the history of churches and castles, take cycling tours along the valley floor, or discover trails leading into the higher landscapes?

Church History and Historic Sites

The parish church of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary is at the heart of the local history. Archaeological excavations carried out in 1961 and 1997 prove that a church already stood at this site in the 5th century. The church is dedicated to this patronage; the first surviving deed of consecration dates from 1310. During the Migration Period, the church may have temporarily served as the seat of a wandering bishop. Anyone interested in the development of sacred sites and their long history will find a particularly rich point of reference here.

Various historical layers can also be discovered around Hörtenberg. At the site of the present-day ruin, a large Iron Age settlement with a cult site had already existed since 800 BC. The largest Iron Age settlement in North Tyrol extended along the slope. In the Middle Ages, court proceedings were held at Hörtenberg Castle before jurisdiction was later transferred to Telfs. An important detail for visitors is the current viewing option: Hörtenberg Ruin can only be viewed from the outside.

Another historical episode concerns the castle. In 1706, a lightning strike ignited a store of 1,500 hundredweight of gunpowder kept at the castle. The resulting enormous explosion destroyed the castle. The picture is rounded out by smaller listed structures: Aue Chapel, also known as Kranewitter Chapel, stands west of Pfaffenhofen, while Hörtenberg Court Chapel is located near Pfaffenhofen. The convent of the Poor School Sisters, formerly known as Zechschlössl, is also a listed monument in Pfaffenhofen.

Cycling Trails, Inn Valley Terraces and Mountain Landscapes

Different types of landscape are available for active days. The approximately 25 km-long Mieming Cycling Trail branches off the Inn Cycle Path on the northern bank of the Inn near Pfaffenhofen and continues westwards. The Tyrolean Oberland section of the Inn Cycle Path runs along the valley floor near Pfaffenhofen through areas with beautiful floodplain landscapes and is also suitable for inline skating there. These two details help you distinguish between a longer connection to the west and a route through the floodplain landscape.

Those who prefer to travel on foot can include the Peter Anich Trail across the Inn Valley Terraces in their plans. The hike to Widdersberger Alm, also called Pfaffenhofer Alm, is connected with Pfaffenhofen, the trail to Schlosshof/Schennach and the turn-off for the forest track to Pfaffenhofer Alm. The alpine pasture lies at an altitude of almost 1,700 m at the beginning of a small valley hollow in the heart of the Northern Sellrain Mountains, bordered by meadows and forest.

Which Location Suits Your Trip?

When looking for accommodation in Pfaffenhofen, it is worth deciding what you want to focus on during your stay. Those interested in culture can make the historic sites and listed buildings the common thread of their trip. For cyclists and inline skaters, the routes along the Inn and through the floodplain landscape are key. Those seeking mountain landscapes should turn their attention to the Inn Valley Terraces and Widdersberger Alm. This allows you to choose your holiday apartment based on the experiences you actually want to enjoy during your holiday.

You can find more local pages on this portal under Unterperfuss, Igls, Gries Im Sellrain, Mutters, Kematen In Tirol, Oberhofen Im Inntal, Patsch and Kolsass.

For the higher-level travel overview: Innsbruck-Land.