The Ehrenberg Ensemble
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| Rick Steves and Armin Walch star in "Indiana Jones and the Ruins of Ehrenberg." |
By Rick Steves
If Germany's wildly popular "Disney castle" of Neuschwanstein is the medieval castle dream, Ehrenburg is the medieval castle reality. Just a mile outside of Reutte are the brooding ruins of four castles that once made up the largest fort in Tirol. This impressive "castle ensemble" was built to defend against the Bavarians and to bottle up the strategic Via Claudia trade route, which cut through the Alps as it connected Italy and Germany. Today, these castles have become a European "castle museum," showing off 500 years of military architecture in one swoop. The European Union is helping fund the project (paying a third of its €9 million cost).
The complex has four parts: the fortified Klause toll both on the valley floor, the oldest castle on the first hill above (Ehrenberg), a mighty and more modern castle high above (Schlosskopf, built in the age when cannon positioned there made the original castle vulnerable), and a smaller fourth castle across the valley (Fort Claudia, an hour's hike away). All four were a fortified complex once connected by walls. Signs posted throughout the castle complex help visitors find their way and explain some background on the region's history, geology, geography, culture, flora, and fauna. (While the castles are free and open all the time, the museum and multimedia show at the fort's parking lot charge admission.)
The project is spearheaded by Armin Walch — the Indiana Jones of Tirolian archaeologists — who is excavating the "ensemble" of four castles.
Klause Valley Fort Museum — Historians estimate that about 10,000 tons of precious salt passed through this valley (along the route of Rome's Via Claudia) each year in medieval times, so it's no wonder the locals built this complex of fortresses and castles. Beginning in the 14th century, the fort controlled traffic and levied tolls on all who passed. Today, these scant remains hold a museum and a theater with a multimedia show (€8 for museum, €11 combo-ticket also includes multimedia show, €18 family pass for 2 adults and any number of kids, daily 10:00–17:00, closed Nov–mid-Dec, tel. 05672/62007, www.ehrenberg.at).
Updated in 2009. For lots more information, check out our best-selling Rick Steves' Guidebooks — or join us on one of our free-spirited tours in Germany or Austria.