Schruns offers several ways to explore its culture: the Montafon Local History Museum focuses on the traditional way of life of the Montafon population, the Cultural and Art Trail leads through the historic village centre and along the Litz, and the parish church was elevated to minster status in 2020. Regional culture, the village landscape and a clearly dated turning point in church history therefore sit side by side. What makes each option interesting is its different focus: would you like to explore the cultural heritage and way of life of the valley, take in historic buildings and the route, or put the history of the parish church into context?
Cultural and Art Trail between the village centre and the Litz
The Cultural and Art Trail leads through the historic village centre, past important buildings steeped in history and along the Litz. It also connects the village centre with the Litz promenade and a scenic high-altitude trail. The start and finish are at the Kirchplatz, where the local history museum is also located. A trail connected to the village and landscape and a museum with a regional focus thus meet at a shared point of reference. Those particularly interested in historic buildings and the layout of the village centre will find a different perspective here from that offered by the museum, which focuses on the traditional way of life of the Montafon population. The route has a specific connection to Schruns, while the museum looks at the whole of Montafon.
Local history museum in an old stone house
The Montafon Local History Museum in Schruns was founded in 1906 and has been housed since 1978 in a stone house around 500 years old at the Kirchplatz. The dates refer to different things: 1906 is the year the museum was founded, while 1978 marks the start of its location in the stone house. This brings together a long building history and a more recent museum history. The museum houses cultural heritage from across Montafon and provides information about the traditional way of life of the Montafon population. Its focus therefore extends beyond Schruns to encompass the whole of Montafon. If you are interested in regional culture, this perspective complements the Cultural and Art Trail’s focus on the historic village centre and the route along the Litz.
The parish church and its elevation to minster status
For the parish church, a precise date is key to putting it in context: on 8 March 2020, it was solemnly elevated to minster status by decree of Bishop Benno Elbs. This is a precise point of reference in church history, alongside the museum’s stone house, which is around 500 years old, and the historic buildings along the trail. The topics therefore relate to different periods: the age of the house, the museum’s founding in 1906 and the church’s elevation to minster status in 2020. This distinction helps you appreciate local history and church history as separate perspectives on Schruns.
Which cultural perspective would you like to follow?
A simple distinction can help you choose a theme: the museum broadens the focus from Schruns to the whole of Montafon, while the Cultural and Art Trail is rooted in the historic village centre and connects it with the Litz promenade and the high-altitude trail. The parish church adds a clearly dated event to these spatial perspectives. So if you would like to choose a cultural focus for your stay, first consider whether the valley, the village landscape or the historical context of the church event interests you most. The Kirchplatz is the shared local point of reference for the museum and the trail, but this does not imply a set order for exploring the themes.
Discover more destinations: Damüls, Sankt Gallenkirch, Bludenz, Fontanella, Nüziders, Lech, Tschagguns, Bartholomäberg
Go to the main travel overview: Bludenz.
