Schwaz — Fuggers' Silver Secret

Your quest begins in front of the Fuggerhaus, Franz-Josef-Straße 27, the starting point of your Schwaz visit. This historic building stands as a testament to the influence of the Fugger family, merchants who, as early as 1487, heavily invested in mining by purchasing shares in a Kufstein company. The Fuggers, including the renowned Jakob Fugger, tied their destiny to the silver prosperity of Tyrol, actively participating in the European Fugger Road. Here, augmented reality reveals trade registers and secret correspondences that sealed their fortune, immersing you in the history of Schwaz and its Tyrolean heritage.

A short walk away, the Pfarrkirche Mariä Himmelfahrt, a historic parish church, awaits you in the heart of Schwaz. This medieval edifice, linked to the town's silver prosperity around 1500, houses funerary monuments and epitaphs that tell the story of the miners and families who brought wealth to the region. As Georg Fugger, you will search for hidden symbols and inscriptions carved in stone, revealing the links between faith and fortune. Augmented reality will highlight architectural details, coats of arms, and inscriptions, offering a deep immersion into the past of this historic site in Tyrol.

The route then leads you to Pfundplatz Schwaz, a central historic square, less than 500m from the Fuggerhaus. This square is typical of Tyrolean town centers, surrounded by monuments and mansions that witnessed the passage of mining wealth. It is here that the 'Along the Trail of the Silver' tours take place from June to mid-September, emphasizing its importance in the mining town center's thematic circuit. Your Schwaz scavenger hunt invites you to observe architectural details, and augmented reality will allow you to visualize the markets of yesteryear, where raw silver was traded and deals were struck, revealing a vibrant facet of Tyrolean heritage.

Your exploration of Schwaz continues towards the Rathaus Schwaz, the historic town hall, an administrative emblem of the prosperous mining town in the 15th and 16th centuries. Located near Franz-Josef-Straße, within the 1.5 km walking route, it testifies to the economic boom linked to Tyrolean silver around 1500. As Georg Fugger, you will decipher virtual documents and official seals, exploring the decisions that shaped the town. This historic monument is a key stage of your interactive Schwaz visit, where each facade tells a part of the history of this mining city.

The climax of your adventure takes you to the Silberbergwerk Schwaz, the silver mines nicknamed the 'Mother of all mines'. Although legend speaks of activity as early as 1409, prehistoric copper mining is attested here. The Fuggers, from 1487, were deeply involved in the trade of silver extracted from these 300 km of tunnels and shafts. It is the main Tyrol attraction, offering a 360° panorama and the possibility to descend 800m deep via a mine train 800m for a reconstruction of mining work from 500 years ago. Your Schwaz GPS scavenger hunt concludes here, with the revelation of the last secrets of the Fugger empire, enriching your understanding of the history of Schwaz and Tyrol's mining heritage.