Gais: Cultural Trail, Castle Ruins and Swimming Lake
Accommodation in Gais
When looking for a hotel in Gais, you can choose your destination based on specific local sights and paths: the cultural trail brings together artistic references and views of the village and Kehlburg Castle, while historic castle complexes offer further points of interest. The Waalweg and the Maurachweg each have their own character, and the Gais swimming lake, “Baggalocke,” adds an opportunity to swim. This can help you decide whether culture, historic buildings, paths or a swimming lake should shape your stay in Gais.
Cultural Trail: Art and Views
The Gais Cultural Trail is a themed walking route. It begins at the entrance to the village of Gais near Gasthof Sonne, leads through the forest and continues as far as Neuhaus Castle. It is two kilometres long in total. Artworks along the route pay tribute to the minnesinger Oswald von Wolkenstein, the American poet Ezra Pound, his daughter Mary de Rachewiltz and the Bacher artists. At several points, you can enjoy views of the unique Gais alluvial fan, the village with its Romanesque church and the hill opposite with the imposing ruins of Kehlburg Castle. Along the same route, artistic references and specific views of the village come together.
Kehlburg Castle and Uttenheimer Schlössl
Kehlburg Castle was probably built in the early 12th century. Since a fire in 1944, it has increasingly fallen into disrepair. A second castle complex is Uttenheimer Schlössl in Uttenheim. It stands on a steep rocky ridge and belongs to the municipality of Gais. The castle has been in ruins since the 17th century. Today, its surviving parts comprise the curtain wall, the Chapel of St. Valentine and the keep, as well as the largely collapsed three-storey palas. The palas is the main building of a castle. The history of Kehlburg can be understood through its presumed construction date and the fire; at Uttenheimer Schlössl, the surviving and collapsed structures define its appearance.
Waalweg, Maurachweg and Cycling Route
The Waalweg begins at the parish church, crosses the Ahr Bridge and then runs northeast between the houses towards the forest. From the Ahr Bridge, the walking time is about 20 minutes. The cultural trail, by contrast, is given as two kilometres in total length. These figures refer to different things for planning purposes: an approximate walking time from the bridge and the total length of a different route. This makes it possible to understand the figures without treating them as the same type of measurement.
The Maurachweg also has its own artistic connection: it passes the so-called “Mount of Olives,” which is defined by a painting by Hartmann Polt. For orientation by bicycle, the “Val Pusteria Cycle Path” is another local reference; it passes the village of Gais. The paths therefore offer different points of interest for your stay, from a themed walking route to a path featuring a named artwork and a cycling route by the village.
Gais Swimming Lake “Baggalocke”
The Gais swimming lake “Baggalocke” is near the cycling route and has a sunbathing lawn and a bar. If either of these facilities is important for your visit, check the latest information about services and opening arrangements in advance. This lets you consider the swimming lake as a focus of your planning and choose what to do in Gais based on the activities that matter to you.
Discover more destinations: Stern, Olang, Kiens, Issing, Enneberg, MĂĽhlen In Taufers, Niederdorf, Percha
Go to the overview of the wider region: Pustertal.
