Customs and Traditions Alpine Transhumance plays a vital role in traditional Alpine culture, just as do
Yodeling,
Alphorn,
Schwingen, and cheese production (i. e.
Alpkäse,
Bergkäse). ===
Tracht === The Montafon festive costume for women consists of a black dress (Juppa), whose
bodice (Miadr) is laced at the front. An
apron (Schoß) in pastel colors is tied over it. The
embroidery is particularly valuable on this costume: the "Brosttuach" is tied in the front of the bodice (ibresa), the apron straps (Schoßbänder) are tied over the apron. Nowadays, the "Libli" (actually part of the younger girls' costume) is mainly worn by dance groups instead of outerwear. In this case, a white blouse is also part of the costume. The picture is rounded off by a red
petticoat, red stockings, shoes with buckles and a bow tied around the neck. The most striking feature of the Montafon festive costume is the embroidery. This consists of two or more parts, depending on the occasion and the outer clothing of the costume. All embroidery is handmade, embroidered with silk on black velvet. A skilled embroiderer needs around 500 working hours to produce a complete embroidery. Today, the traditional garment is still being manufactured at the
Juppenwerkstatt Riefensberg.
Outer wear •
Glöggli-Tschopa: The curly cut Glögglitschopa, so named after the red or green lined frill on the back, has long, narrow sleeves with lapels made of embroidered silk atlas. A characteristic of a well-fitting Glögglitschopa is the Benkli, a fold running from the middle of the breast cloth to the Glöggli. •
Schlutta: The Schlutta, originally the warden chopa, is a
brocade jacket. The collar has a delicate white tip. The classic Montafoner house mixes stone and wood elements.
Cuisine The
Montafoner Sauerkäse or Montafon cheese (dialect:
Sura Kees or
Sura Käs, referring to a type of sour cream/curdled milk cheese) is a sour cream cheese made in the Montafon since the 12th century. Montafon has one of the oldest traditions of cheese production in the Alpine region, and this is still an important dairy product. It has very little fat (1-10%
fat in dry matter) and is a local speciality, similar to the
Tyrolean grey cheese.
Gauertaler Alpkultur The
LEADER programme Gauertaler Alpkultur was created to inform guests and locals in the Gauertal valley about the cultural landscape. Knowledge of this cultural landscape is slowly being lost. Therefore, this path was created to present the Gauertal as a good example of local alpine culture and alpine transhumances. As the trails in the Gauertal are quite popular, the hikers had to be routed in such a way that the sensitive alpine areas were no longer seriously affected. At 13 stations, objects were created by artists who devoted themselves to various cultural areas. Panels and info-brochures tell the stories about the land, the people and the culture. The following artistic interventions have been created in the Gauertaler landscape: • Entrance gate • Tree of Myths (alpine myths) • Note 1: water & alpine pastures • Watcher (shepherd's life) • Alpine regions & tourism (no sculpture) • Note 2 (forest challenges) • Tribune (life in the Maisäß) • Cloakroom (changes of culture) • Avalanche tree (natural hazards) • Battlefield (history in the Alps) • Alpinism (no sculpture) • Cheese harp (life and work) • Antler tree (alp and hunting) There are three different paths and each tells a different story: •
Main tour: Gauertaler Alpkultur: Grüneck () - Obere Latschätzalpe - Obere Sporaalpe - Lindauer Hütte - untere Sporaalpe - untere Latschätzalpe - Wachters Dieja - Plazadels - Matschwitz. Length: ; duration: approx. four ours •
Alptour: Grüneck () - Obere Latschätzalpe - Obere Sporaalpe - Lindauer Hütte - untere Sporaalpe - untere Latschätzalpe - Gauen - Latschau. Length: ; duration: approx. 3.5 hours •
Maisäßtour (tour of alpine transhumance): Grüneck () - Obere Latschätzalpe - Wachters Dieja - Plazadels - Matschwitz. Length: ; duration: approx 2.5 hours
Museums In the Montafon valley, there are four museums: • Heimatmuseum Schruns (Schruns Museum of Local History,
de) • Alpin- und Tourismusmuseum Gaschurn (Gaschurn Alpine and Tourism Museum) • Bergbaumuseum Silbertal (Mining Museum Silbertal) • Museum Frühmesshaus Bartholomäberg == Trivia ==