History Of Alpbach
With roots in the Hallstatt and Bronze Ages, Alpbach is a community steeped in intriguing history. Alpbach has seen the creation and development of tourism, the growth and collapse of mining, the isolation and integration of the valley. Since 1945, Alpbach has also been the site of the European Forum Alpbach, a yearly gathering of leaders and specialists from many disciplines to debate contemporary problems and concerns.
Prehistory and Antiquity
Found in 1860 near Steinberger Joch, the pass leading to the Ziller Valley, is the first proof of human habitation in Alpbach. With its age of middle Bronze Age (1600–1250 BC), the axe implies that commerce and communication were already taking place along the route. Now, the axe is on show at the Innsbruck-based Tyrolean State Museum.
The Celts who lived in the area and took use of the abundant mineral riches of the Alps during the Hallstatt period (800–450 BC) leave the next signs of human activity in Alpbach. Some pieces of iron equipment, coinage, and pottery from the Celts were discovered in Alpbach at the Schatzberg, the Luegergraben, and the Gratlspitz.Originating from the Celtic term “alp,” which means mountain meadow, the Celts also gave the name Alpbach.
The Celtic hegemony in the Tyrol came to an end and Roman influence began during the Roman era (15 BC–476 AD). Together with creating the province of Raetia, which comprised the Alpbach valley, the Romans constructed highways, bridges, and fortresses. Together with bringing their language, culture, and religion, the Romans absorbed the native populace.Alpbach’s Roman past is documented by inscriptions, coins, and artifacts discovered close to the Böglerhof and parish church.
Middle Ages and Early Modern Period
Alpbach saw many peoples and powers’ migrations, invasions, and conflicts during the chaotic and active Middle Ages (476–1492). Alpbach’s history and culture have been shaped by the Bavarians, the Franks, the Avars, the Slavs, the Hungarians, the Lombards and the Ottonians. Initiated by Irish and Scottish monks in the seventh and eighth centuries, the Christianization of the area was the most important event of this era. Alpbach’s parish church is dedicated to St. Oswald, a former Northumbrian monarch who became a Christian and was killed by the pagan people.
Alpbach had a thriving and significant Early Modern Period (1492-1789) when the community developed into a hub of trade and mining. Strong Augsburg merchant family Fugger became interested in and invested in the copper and silver resources found on the Gratlspitz and Schatzberg in the fifteenth century. Employing hundreds of miners, smelters, and dealers in Alpbach, the Fuggers set up their headquarters and mining court in the Böglerhof. Along with increasing Alpbach’s economy and population, the mining sector also enhanced the village’s architecture and culture. The mineral depletion, rivalry from other areas, and the conflicts and crises of the day caused the mining activity to peak in the 16th century and then fall in the 17th and 18th centuries.
Modern and Contemporary Period
For Alpbach, the Modern Period (1789–1945) was a challenging and changing time as the town struggled to cope with the political and social changes of the time. Position and character of Alpbach were shaped by the Napoleonic Wars, the Congress of Vienna, the Revolutions of 1848, the Austro-Prussian War, the Austro-Hungarian Empire, the First World War, the Treaty of Saint-Germain, the Anschluss, and the Second World War. The nineteenth-century closing of the mine, which marked the end of the mining era and the start of the tourist era in Alpbach, was the most significant event of this period. Early in the 20th century, Alpbach welcomed its first visitors; by 1938, the town could house 110 people. being well being Alpbach’s main source of income and jobs, tourism also served as a link between the town and the outside world.
Alpbach has had a successful and creative Contemporary Period (1945–present) during which time it has expanded and diversified its tourist and service sectors and established itself as a center of intellectual and cultural exchange. Journalist and resistance fighter Otto Molden established the European Forum Alpbach in 1945 to provide a forum for discussion and cooperation in postwar Europe. The forum, which addresses politics, economics, science, culture, health, and education, draws thousands of attendees and speakers from all over the world each year. The congress also served as the impetus for the 1999 opening of the modern, well-equipped Congress Centrum Alpbach. Alpbach has also received the Austrian Ecolabel, Alpine Pearls, and the EDEN Award among other honors and recognitions for the caliber and sustainability of its tourism and services.
