A church on the site dating back to the 5th century and an Iron Age settlement on the slope below the Hörtenberg ruins show just how far Pfaffenhofen’s history reaches back. Alongside these, cycling routes by the Inn and an alpine pasture in the Northern Sellrain Mountains offer very different perspectives on the area.
From the Inn Valley to the Hocheder
Pfaffenhofen extends from the village centre south of the Inn to the Hocheder, at 2,797 metres its highest point. This range offers a useful geographical frame of reference when choosing where to stay: the village centre and the highest point are associated with very different landscapes. Valley routes and the alpine pasture can be considered separately.
Hörtenberg: Settlement, Court and Castle
Northern Tyrol’s largest Iron Age settlement extended along the slope below what are now the Hörtenberg ruins. The settlement site, with a place of worship near the ruins, had already existed since 800 BC. The history of this area therefore reaches far beyond the medieval use of the ruins: courts were held at Hörtenberg in the Middle Ages, before jurisdiction was later transferred to Telfs.
Another historical turning point came in 1706. A lightning strike ignited a store of 1,500 quintals of gunpowder kept in the castle; the enormous explosion destroyed the palace. There is one clear restriction for visitors: the Hörtenberg ruins can only be viewed from the outside.
Church and protected buildings
A church already stood on the site of the parish church of the Assumption of Mary in the 5th century. Archaeological excavations in 1961 and 1997 attest to this. The parish church is dedicated to the Assumption of Mary; the first surviving deed of consecration dates from 1310. It may have temporarily served as the seat of a wandering bishop during the Migration Period. This remains a possibility, while the excavations and deed of consecration provide specific historical points of reference.
Other buildings are also part of the protected heritage. In Pfaffenhofen, the convent of the Poor School Sisters, formerly the Zechschlössl, is a protected monument. Hörtenberg Chapel near Pfaffenhofen is also protected. West of Pfaffenhofen stands Aue Chapel, also known as Kranewitter Chapel; it too is a protected monument. The different names help distinguish these three buildings.
Cycling routes along the Inn
The approximately 25-kilometre Mieminger Cycle Path branches off the Inn Cycle Path on the north bank of the Inn near Pfaffenhofen and heads west. At Pfaffenhofen, the Inn Cycle Path runs along the valley floor through areas of floodplain that are also suitable for inline skating. The two routes offer different points of reference: the Mieminger Cycle Path has an approximate length and direction, while the Inn Cycle Path is defined by its floodplain landscape and an additional way to enjoy it.
Widdersberger Alm and hiking
Widdersberger Alm, also known as Pfaffenhofer Alm, lies at almost 1,700 metres at the start of a small hollow in the heart of the Northern Sellrain Mountains. Meadows and woodland line the hollow. Its elevation and landform make this alpine pasture area quite different from the valley floor along which the Inn Cycle Path runs at Pfaffenhofen.
A hike to Widdersberger Alm is associated with Pfaffenhofen, the path to Schlosshof/Schennach and the turn-off onto the forest track to the alpine pasture. Check local conditions before setting out. This helps put the valley routes and the hike to the alpine pasture in perspective as distinct options for planning your trip.
Discover more destinations: Volders, Götzens, Fritzens, Birgitz, Reith bei Seefeld, Obernberg am Brenner, Unterweg, Neustift im Stubaital
Go to the main travel overview: Innsbruck-Land.
