Weiler: Moorland and Church Architecture

Weiler lies on the eastern edge of the Vorarlberg Rhine Valley, at the foot of the Freschenstock. If you are looking for a hotel in Weiler, the town’s nature and culture offer a concrete basis for deciding whether this destination suits your plans. Highlights include a distinctive fen, various forest and gorge landscapes, and the history of the parish church.

Moorland and Forest Areas

The Hahnenberg fen lies southeast of the town center in a shallow hollow on a gently north-facing slope between Hahnenberg and Hündler. The elongated litter meadow follows a meltwater channel and is about 30 to 40 meters wide. A biotope report dated June 18, 2020, describes purple moor grass and sweet leek in drier areas. According to the report, the highly endangered Siberian iris (Iris sibirica) was found only in a few individual specimens. The species composition may change.

The forest landscapes also differ: the Weiler-Halden-Fraxern mixed deciduous forests include hillside forests north of State Road L 69, the Fraxern Road, around the Alt-Montfort ruins and at Rüthischrofen in Weiler-Halden; they continue into Fraxern. The Klausbach gorge above the village is a ravine cut into soft ground, with a streamside ravine forest. The Ratzbach gallery forest, in turn, is a remnant of alluvial forest at the southern end of the Weiler meadows, about one kilometer southeast of the town center. Distinct from these is the Ratzbach Kessel Gorge: it is deeply incised and has a remarkable waterfall. The landscape therefore ranges from an open moorland litter meadow to wooded ravines and a gorge.

Pfaffenkeller is a gorge-like narrow passage in the mixed deciduous forest of Loresch. It lies on the marked hiking trail and forest nature trail from Weiler to Röthis. If you plan to take this route, check the trail markings locally. The different landscape forms help you choose your excursions; a gorge, a remnant of alluvial forest and a moor are clearly distinct natural features.

Fitness Trail and Church Architecture

The Ganta fitness trail is in the Ganta-Loresch forest landscape, within the municipalities of Weiler and Röthis. It runs for about two kilometers through the forest toward Viktorsberg and has 13 stations for a varied workout focusing on strength, endurance and coordination. The trail paths are not suitable for strollers. As trail conditions can change, it is a good idea to check them before your visit. The trail thus offers a different focus from the nature areas: the workout stations and their different types of exercise take center stage.

Weiler Parish Church was rebuilt in 1875 and 1876 to plans by Friedrich von Schmidt, the Viennese master cathedral builder, and consecrated in 1876. Friedrich Schmidt also designed the side altars; Kob carved them between 1880 and 1882. The construction and furnishings thus belong to two successive periods in the church’s history. Hanenberg-Schlössle and the Alt-Montfort ruins are also among Weiler’s historically valuable buildings.

Since 1876, the Weiler Church Choir has been dedicated to classical and contemporary church music. The parish offers a varied program based on the church year and holds benefit concerts to collect donations for people in need. Individual events may vary; if you are planning to attend a particular concert or event, check the current program. The Weiler distillery also represents a long-standing local tradition: it has been in existence for over 100 years and is now run as an association with a mobile distillery.

Discover more destinations: Koblach, Frastanz, Fraxern, Zwischenwasser, Dafins, Furx, Viktorsberg, Röthis.

Back to the main travel overview: Feldkirch.