Lost in time Feldkirch-Innenstadt whispers secrets of centuries past. Picture this a medieval town reborn. Feldkirch-Innenstadt boasts one of Vorarlberg’s best-preserved medieval townscapes. Built around 1200 its geometric grid system remains. The city walls rebuilt around 1500 stand as silent witnesses. Feldkirch-Innenstadt has remained largely unchanged for centuries.
Since 2015 Feldkirch-Innenstadt’s municipal ensemble holds a place on Austria’s Cultural Heritage list. It is a protected cultural property. The town is part of the Association of Small Historic Towns a tourism group. Feldkirch-Innenstadt’s Schattenburg castle a major landmark dates back to 1218. Count Hugo von Montfort built it. The castle wasn’t always a museum. It served as barracks and later poor housing. The museum and Homeland Security Association saved it in 1912. It now attracts 25000 visitors yearly.
Explore the Katzenturm Feldkirch-Innenstadt’s eight-story defensive tower. Built in 1507 under Emperor Maximilian I it’s 40 meters high. The name’s origin is unclear. One theory links it to heavy artillery. They had lion’s heads nicknamed cats. The Katzenturmglocke its massive bell weighs 85 tons. It’s Vorarlberg’s largest bell as of 2022.
Feldkirch-Innenstadt’s history echoes in its streets. Schlossgraben Hirschgraben and St Leonhardsplatz mark the old city walls’ course. The walls were largely rebuilt around 1500. They were demolished beginning in 1826. Feldkirch-Innenstadt once had four gates. Only the Churertor and Salztor remain.
Feldkirch-Innenstadt’s Palais Liechtenstein stands in Schlossergasse. Built after a 1697 fire it was once an office for Prince Johann Adam Andreas of Liechtenstein. Today it houses the city library and archives. Feldkirch-Innenstadt’s past lives on. Its medieval charm and modern cultural events attract visitors. The Montforter Zwischentöne festival is one example. It offers music poetry and more. Feldkirch-Innenstadt’s story is rich. It’s a journey through time a place where history and the present meet.