Our most favourite Austrian holidays have been in the Virgen valley (East-Tyrol), Austria. Hope viewers are attracted to this quiet and lovely place just like we are. Getting back there whenever we can. My home-video text about this valley: The Virgen valley, somewhat remotely situated from the crowded Austrian holiday resorts, has plenty of facilities for the tourist who seeks rest and relaxation. Driving from Germany after Munich (München) over the 16 taking the turn just before Rosenheim direction Innsbrück on the E45 untill Kufstein to take the Felberntauernstrasse, one drives through the well known skiïng resorts Kitzbühel and Mittersill through the Felbertauerntunnel (€ 10,- toll; 2003). After a 5.2 kilometer long tunnel through the mountains one arrives on the sunny southside of the Gross-Venediger, arriving in Matrei (in East-Tyrol) as the first town. Most drivers leave the lovely Virgen valley on the right side and continue their journey South East direction Lienz, Italy or Carinthia. At this point we don’t pass by but travel West into the Virgen valley. In this approximately 1 hour video we show you some touristic attractions to give an impression of the beautifull nature and culture that can be found in this region. This fim doesn’t pretend to show the nicest mountainviews of all of its cultural jewels. Walking tracks to mountaincabins have been built for the more practiced mountaineers, from where the views are far out more beautifull. However for the elderly who are good walkers and young families with small kids the recorded locations are all in good reach. Untill 1928 Virgen was not in reach by car from Matrei. Before that time one had to travel over a very narrow gravelled road from the Felbertauernstrasse North of Matrei via Zedlach and Bach to Virgen. In 1965-1966 the new road was destroyed by high water. Virgen means “first fortress”, according to other sources “sunny place” (Slavic). In the 12th century the counts of Görz built a strengthened fortress of which the remains still today can be visited above Mellitz: ruïn of the fortress Rabenstein (1400 m). According to a legend the building of the fortress was started in Obermauern and ravens flew “bloody things” over to the hill above Mellitz after a severe industrial accident. In Welzelach West of Virgen a graveyard with important gravegift from the Hallstatt period (until 500 BC) has been layed bare. Illyriërs, Kelts and Romans came fot the gold that was dug up in the mountains. At Mitteldof there still is an old silvermine to be seen. About 600 AD the Slavonic peoples arrived. The endings like “-ach” and “-itz” as in Welzelach (large village), Göriach (mountain village) en Mellitz are lingual remains of this episode. The largest agricultural activity in this area is the breeding of milkcattle. Each Spring the cows are led up to the mountains to the “almen” just above the treeline where grassland is with alpherbs and green fresh grass. In Autumn the same bussiness (called “viehtreib”) in the other direction when cows are led back to the valley. This viehtreib isn’t transformed into a touristic spectacle with cows wearing wreaths of flowers, like in other parts of Tyrol. For the farmers it is hard labour in the time of hay making, because much of it is done by hand (scythe) because of the steep slopes. Altough these days most farmers have electric milking equipment, some individuals still do it by hand. Often a second profession is carried out aside of the farming bussiness to make ends meet. At some small farms it is also possible to get Bed and Breakfast (“Zimmerfrei”) where a visiting tourist gets a closer impression of the locals than at a Hotel or guesthouse. Home made butter and other home made products (like cakes) are very often or on regular basis found at the breakfast table, next to the new breads of the local bakery. The farming bussiness in the mountains (“Almbetrieb”) is mostly a coöperative affair where farmers can have cetrain rights on mountaingrassland and is allowed to build a “Almhut”. Then the biggest problem is to keep that Almhut manned (“bewirtschaftet”) and attend the animals. By the way: the houses and Almhuts have proper nouns different from the familynames of the people who live in it, what can be confusing when explaning locals where one is staying. Matrei im Osttirol (1000 m, ca. 4500 inh). Schloss Weissenstein (built around the 11th century, rebuilt in the 19th century) protected the Felbertauernpassroad for centuries. This road crossed the 2490 m high pass over which merchants undertook the dangerous 13 hours journey to Matrei. On their way they found shelter in the “Tauernhäusern” built by the Salzburger bisschops around the 12th century. In 1967 the Felbertauertunnel was built in the 38 km long track of the Felbertauernstrasse. Nearby the South entrance of the tunnel the Matreier Tauernhaus is still in function. Off Matrei on the side of this road a large hotel-restaurant (Goldried) with cablerailway (cabins), skilifts and appartements (incl. private sauna in each appartment and an indoor swimming pool) has been built on the slopes of the mountain, looking out over Matrei and the valley. One can travel direction Europa Wanderway by cabin cablerailway Goldried Bergbahnen, which is very passable for young and old. With good weather on this walkingtrack one has a magnificent view over the mountaintops and valleys and one has comfortable seats in front of the Kals-Matreier Törlhaus, with bad weather comfortable shelter can be found inside. By the way: the open seats cablerailway at Kals on the other side of this path has a better view than from the cabins and is also much cheaper. It’s only a long way driving. The late-baroque St. Alban church (1784) in Matrei has luxurious wall- and ceilingpaintings and holy statues. A pittoresque old (13th century) church (St. Nicolauskirche) can be visited on the other side of the Isel in the little village Bichl. It has gone into restoration in 2003 what was surely needed because the fresco’s on the outside where almost gone. The interior has some very nice surprises as well. In Bichl a “Bauernladen” has been established where twice a week local products are sold. Nearly opposite the St. Alban church the Nationalpark Hohe Tauern has built the Tauernhaus a few years ago, a visitor centre worth visiting. Very beautifull and cheap as well are the nature posters available in the Tauernhouse. A nice picknickingplace and with beautifull wooden bridges over it, is the Bretterwandbach that flows through Matrei (with thick walls on both sides because of its wild nature). The Innergschlöss is a nice trip as well, North of Matrei along the Felbertauernstasse starting from the Matreier Tauernhaus (parkingticket). Views on the Gross-Venediger, pittoresque villages and a little church cut out in the rocks just aside of the road. For the easily tired a horse wagon rides this road. Just West of Matrei the Tauernbach flows into the Isel, after the Bretterwandbach has joined it. Driving from Matrei direction Virgen, one can turn right-left just after the Tauernbachbridge direction Zedlach to visit the Zedlacher Paradies. Unfortunately the centuries old larches have been cut down in the last decades, but it remains a beautifull piece of nature with a walk towards the Wodenalm (1804 m). Walking through the Zedlacher Paradies or driving along the bottom by car, one can visit Strümerhof, a high quality restaurant with high view over Matrei, from the balcony as well as from the sun terrace. For some years ago Mitteldorf (1089 m) had a narrow but very nice roadbridge flanked on bothe sides by natural stone built houses. Now this bridge (over the Mitteldorfer bach, which slides the hamlet Bach just above Mitteldorf in two) has been rebuilt so that people travel quickly through. However do take the time for a visit: the restaurant is simple but good quality and not expensive, form time to time a guided tour is given at the old watermill upstreams the bach and downstreams pictoresque scenes can be viewed because fruittrees are guided to the southsides of the houses which give much blossom in Spring and coloured fuits in Autumn. All the way down Mitteldorf the Isel streams vigorously over enormous rocks. In 1933 all of Mitteldorf but 7 buildings was destroyed by fire, in 1934 again 4 houses went down by fire. These days many houses are pulled up completely out of natural stone. Virgen (1194 m, 2135 inh./2004AD, 1597 guetbeds, 97 farms) clearly has a centrefunction, as well as Prägraten further on the road. Supermarkets (SPAR and ADEC, latest recently rebuilt), townhall (where Dutch couples are married as well), postoffice (just aside pf the workshop of woodcarver/artist Aloïs Weisskopf), sheltered place for the band where during summerevenings weekly performances are held, bakeyj, library (with internetaccess), Fireguardhouse (surrounding villages have extra posts), open air swimming pool, schools, active corporate life, etc. etc. From Virgen one can travel to the North direction Melliz (1295 m, ruïn Rabenstein and old chapel), SouthWest to Niedermauern (camping), Gries (1106), across the Isel to Rain and Welzelach (1189 m) from where a walking trip along the Isel canyon towards Bobojach can be made. Straicht under Virgen lies the Virgener Feldflur, an old fashioned cultural landscape of great ecological importance. Since a few years the so called “Weg der Sinnen”, of “Schmetterlingenweg” – Road of Senses – has been constructed with experiences of the senses (for the visually impaired), as well as “Kneipp Heilwasserbaden”. Following the main road further to the West one passes by Obermauern (1303 m, with late-gotic “Wallfahrtskirche zu unserer lieben Frau Maria Schnee” – church - with fantastic beautifull fresco’s – wallpaintings -, where the Nilbach destroyed several bridges and watermills in 1945) by a tunnel through the mountain to pass the Isel canyon and along Bobojach (1269 m) to Prägraten (1312 m, 15th century built St. Andreaschurch with fresco’s). Here one can turn off the road to make a nice walk along the Isel to Hinterbichl. Over here also many walkingroads lead to higher almhuts and mountainhuts, as well as in Obermauern (Gottschaunalm, Nilalm etc). Following the main road one passes a second Bichl in the same valley (1493 m) direction Hinterbichl (1512 m, where the Isel meanders along the mainroad, with beautifull old watermill at the Zopschenbach). In Hinterbichl (old naturestone St. Chrysanthchapel) one can make a long stroll to the North to the Johannishuette (2116 m), a Venediger taxi can shorten the trip. It is located high up in the mountains and with hot days much cooler than down below in the valley. The Johannishuette is for mountaineers the point of departure for the climb to the Defreggerhaus (2963 m). Further to the West, you find Ströden (1403 m), parkingplace and turning point of the postcoach. Driving further than the parkingplace (paid) is only for the few who are guest or have rented a little house. From here one can walk to the North along the Maurerbach direction Stoanalm (1469 m) and Essener Rostocker Huette (2207 m), or to the West along the Isel direction Islitzeralm (ca. 1509 m, mineralsouvenirs) and Pebelalm (where very good Topfenstrüdel is served) from where the ascent of the “Wasserschaupfad Umballfälle” starts. This is really the main attraction of this valley. On top of this path one can climb further direction Clarahuette (2036 m).