History Of Galtür

From the south, the Engadiners; from the west, the Walsers and Vorarlbergers; and from the east, the Tyroleans populated Galtür. The Engadiners’ laborious farming efforts and rich history are reflected in the name Galtür, which means Cultura. Thirty Years’ War left Galtür badly damaged. The church and a number of residences were gutted by fire. The Paznaun area saw the building of roads in the 19th century. Galtür, at that time, was considered to be somewhat poor and consisted of a church, an inn, and eight homes. The first hotel was erected soon, and then the Jamtalhütte. Tourism increased Galtür’s and the valley’s wealth.

February 23, 1999, saw an avalanche in Galtür. A 50 meter high wall of snow raced at an incredible 290 kilometers per hour in less than a minute. It buried 57 people cruelly and left a path of upturned automobiles and destroyed structures. Even with the heroic efforts of rescue personnel, 31 lives were lost before they could arrive. They said this was the worst avalanche in the Alps in forty years. The continuous avalanche threat forced several visitors to be safely flown out of the Paznaun valley. An historic moment in Austrian history was marked by the cooperation of helicopters from Austria, Germany, Switzerland, France, and the United States in a massive rescue mission. The avalanche happened because of heavy snowfall of about 4 meters brought on by three main Atlantic weather systems. More snowfall followed by alternate freezing and thawing created the weak layer on top of the current snow pack. Huge snow drifts brought by strong winds struck the area hard. About 170,000 tonnes of snow fell on the hamlet overall.

Historical Milestones

Galtür has a lengthy and spectacular history spanning many ages and eras. Historical significants in Galtür include:

The earliest habitation began in the eleventh century when several ethnic groups from the east, west, and south moved to the Paznaun valley and founded settlements and farms. In allusion to the agricultural labor of the Engadiners, the original inhabitants, the name Galtür means “cultura”.
Constructed during the fifteenth century, the first church is the oldest structure in Galtür. St. Nicholas was the patron saint of children, merchants, and travelers, and he was honored in the building. Later, in the 17th and 18th centuries, the church was enlarged and restored, gaining its rich ornamentation and Gothic architecture.
Built in the late 19th century, the first hotel signaled the start of Galtür’s tourist business. The Zangerl family, forerunners in the Galtür hospitality industry, owned the hotel, which was known as the Hotel Post. Renowned guests of the hotel included Ernest Hemingway, who spent some time at Galtür writing parts of his book “A Farewell to Arms.”
The Galtür ski area was originally opened up with the construction of the first ski lift in the 1950s. First of its sort in the Paznaun valley, the ski lift was known as the Birkhahnbahn. The ski lift made it possible to create the ski school, ski club, and ski show as well as to grow ski tourism.
The 1999 first avalanche was the biggest calamity in Galtür’s history. Strong gusts and a lot of snowfall buried 57 individuals beneath 50 meters of snow. Thirteen individuals were killed and twenty-six were injured by the slide. Many nations’ helicopters participated in the massive rescue operation that was set off by the avalanche. Furthermore inspired by the avalanche were the Alpinarium and the Galtürer Lawine monument.

Key Historical Figures

A number of important historical personalities who have made major contributions to Galtür’s history and culture have been created and hosted there. Leading historical personalities include:

Known baroque architect Jakob Prandtauer was born in Galtür in 1660 and created a number of Austrian buildings, including the St. Florian Abbey, the Melk Abbey, and the St. Pölten Cathedral. His creations are prized for their grandeur and beauty, and he is regarded as one of the most important Austrian baroque architects.
Renowned American novelist Ernest Hemingway stayed at the Jamtalhütte and the Hotel Post whilst in Galtür in 1926. He composed some of his book “A Farewell to Arms” in Galtür, drawn by the mountain landscape and the locals. In addition, he liked hunting and skiing in Galtür and made friends with the locals and the Zangerls.
Born in Galtür in 1912, the fabled ski instructor Anton Zangerl trained hundreds of individuals, including politicians, celebrities, and nobility. Known for his charm and prowess, he went by the moniker “the king of the slopes.” In Galtür, he also started the ski school and the ski club and planned the ski race and exhibition. At 91 years old, he passed away in 2003 and was buried next to a statue.