Imagine stepping back in time. It’s now 1567. Georg Markhner is building the Bachschmiede house beside the Mühlbach river. Today, this building is known as Die Bachschmiede – Kultur Museum Kunst. It stands as a cultural center in Wals-Siezenheim Austria. It offers visitors a unique blend of history art and culture.
Die Bachschmiede wasn’t always a museum. It began as a simple house. A blacksmith shop was added later. In 1985, Sepp Forcher envisioned revitalizing the building. His idea was to turn it into a museum. In 2008, Die Bachschmiede opened as a museum and cultural center.
The heart of Die Bachschmiede is its restored forge. It belonged to the Reischl family. Now it serves as a show forge. You can see a complete set of horseshoes from the Ebner family. They came from Loig.
The first floor shows 19th-century life. It remembers Jakob Lechner. He was a professor at the Vienna Military Veterinary Institute. The museum focuses on Salzburg-Bavaria themes. Past exhibits include Napoleon’s army before Salzburg in 1809. Another exhibit showcased 2000 years of coinage. It ranged from Roman denarius to the Euro.
Die Bachschmiede also displays the Roman Villa Rustica. It was found in Loig in 1815. A copy of the Theseus Mosaic is impressive. The original mosaics are in Vienna’s Kunsthistorisches Museum. Karin Gugg’s antique toy collection is also housed here. These toys offer insights into the cultural history of toys. They also show the toy industry’s growth in the 19th and 20th centuries.
The art gallery displays works by various artists. Robert Roubin, Ute Födermayr, and Käthe Perner are some examples. The Sepp Forcher Hall hosts theater performances. Lectures and cabaret shows take place here too. The International Walser film festivals also occur here. Concert events fill the hall with music.
Outside Die Bachschmiede, you can see the time stone. It is made of Untersberger marble. It shows the history of Wals in pictures. Students from Walserfeld vocational school carved the stone. Franz Hirnsperger designed it. Each student signed their relief with stone marks.
Die Bachschmiede provides a glimpse into blacksmithing. It also shows the everyday life of a blacksmith. The museum aims to connect the past and present. It wants to make current cultural collaboration more understandable. The Bachschmiede has 13 museum rooms. They house permanent and temporary exhibits. These exhibits provide insights into diverse themes. Admission for adults is 4 Euro. Children up to 15 enter free. There are discounts for students, seniors, and groups.
Die Bachschmiede stands as a testament to culture and history. Its diverse offerings ensure an enriching experience. It bridges the past and present. It fosters cultural exchange. A visit to Die Bachschmiede is a journey through time. It is an exploration of art and tradition.