Built up against a mighty rock face in the Finstermünzschlucht gorge, the medieval Altfinstermünz Fortress enjoys a prime location overlooking the Inn river and the border region between Tirol and the Swiss canton of Graubünden. Visitors to the fortress can embark on a journey back in time.
The building, which used to be a customs post on the Austrian-Swiss border, has today been restored to its former glory and houses a museum telling the story of the region's knights and smugglers. Highlights include secret tunnels carved into the rock, a viewing tower with a wooden bridge over the Inn river, a chapel and the "Sigmundseck" building constructed by Duke Sigismund the Rich (not accessible for wheelchair users). The visitor centre tells the history of the fortress itself – which was used as a court of law in the Middle Ages – that has been restored with money from the EU. A new bicycle bridge means the fortress can now be easily accessed by bike and on foot along the Via Claudia Augusta – either from the Engadine region of Switzerland or the Upper Inn Valley in Tirol.
The building, which used to be a customs post on the Austrian-Swiss border, has today been restored to its former glory and houses a museum telling…
