Bludenz — Smugglers' Salt Conspiracy

Your smuggler's journey begins at the Obere Tor, the Upper City Gate, erected in 1480. This imposing remnant of the Stadtmauer, about 10 meters high, was the main entry point to the historic center of Bludenz, and a crucial control post for the salt trade. Restored in 1950 after World War II damage, this gate testifies to the challenges faced by merchants and travelers attempting to circumvent salt taxes, a vital commodity for food preservation and livestock in this Vorarlberg region.

Continue your infiltration towards the Rathaus Bludenz, the town hall built in 1565 in a distinctive Renaissance style. Its facade adorned with historical frescoes and its clock tower added in 1720, visible from Herrengasse, served as a symbol of Bludenz's administrative authority. It was here that ordinances governing trade and salt taxes were promulgated, making the smuggler's task even more complex. The 800 m² building has housed the administration since the 16th century, observing the comings and goings of citizens and merchants.

Your route then takes you to the Pfarrkirche St. Laurentius, the Gothic parish church whose main nave was completed around 1470. Initiated in 1432, this 55-meter-long church, with its 72-meter bell tower rebuilt after a fire in 1788, was a place of gathering and prayer for the inhabitants of Bludenz. The baroque altar from 1680, a work by local sculptor Jakob Hutter, recalls the artistic richness of the region. Smugglers sometimes used places of worship as discreet meeting points or temporary hiding places, away from the eyes of civil authorities.

Not far, on Marktplatz, the Nepomukbrunnen, a baroque fountain erected in 1732, dedicated to Saint John of Nepomuk, protector against the floods of the Ill, offers a welcome break. The 2.5-meter sandstone statue, sculpted by Franz Conrad von Bludenz, was restored in 1985. This fountain, at the heart of Bludenz's commercial life, was a crucial place for exchanging information for smuggling networks, where rumors and plans circulated away from prying ears. The salt trade, a pillar of the local economy, was at the center of all conversations.

Your mission concludes at Schloss Gayenhofen, a Renaissance castle built in 1610 by the Gayenhofen family on the foundations of a medieval tower from 1350. With its 20-meter-high walls and 40x30-meter inner courtyard, it was a lordly residence until 1805. Today, it houses a local museum exhibiting the history of salt and Vorarlberg trade, revealing the economic stakes and conflicts related to this resource. As a smuggler, you will have crossed centuries, from the medieval ramparts (Stadtmauer Bludenz) built between 1440 and 1490 by order of the Counts of Montfort, to bridges like the Illbrücke, rebuilt in 1890, witnesses to recurring historical floods. This exploration of Bludenz will have plunged you into the heart of the Montfort Heritage and the Alpine Salt Roads, a true GPS treasure hunt in augmented reality to understand the Historic Vorarlberg heritage.