Kurzras
Kurzras ( Italian Maso Corto ) in South Tyrol belongs to the municipality of Schnals and is located at the end of the Schnalstal ( Italian Val Senales ). At 2011 m it is the highest place in the valley.
history
The oldest surviving building in Kurzras is the historic Kurz-Hof (first mentioned in a document around 1300, as "Churtz in Chortscharaus"), and the history of the place is closely linked to the Gurschler family, who ran this farm for generations from around 1820. From 1886/90, Serafin Gurschler built a hut where the Schöne-Aussicht-Hütte stands today and paved a path to it from Kurzras. His son Hermann continued to run the hut, and in 1953 a cable car was built from Kurzras to the refuge. Serafin Gurschler also built the chapel that is still preserved today, or at least commissioned it in 1895. His next building project was the construction of the predecessor of today's Similaunhütte in 1899 .
Although there had been a modest amount of alpinism and skiing since the end of the 19th century, it was ultimately Leo Gurschler who, beginning in the 1960s, had the first lifts built in the "rear Kurzras", thereby defying existing plans Ski area in the "lower Kurzras", accessible above the Gerstgrashöfe. Today's sports hotel also dates from this period .
After the Lazaunlift was inaugurated in 1968 and the Glockenlift in 1970, the Hochjochferner was opened up as a year-round ski area in 1975 with the Schnalstaler Gletscherbahn on the Grawand .
On September 1, 2007, a memorial was erected in honor of the last Kurzras farmer, Leo Gurschler, who committed suicide in 1983 after bankruptcy, for his pioneering work in cable car construction. The granite and bronze work was created by Martin Rainer and his son Josef and is located in front of the chapel.
today
Because tourism has always kept itself within limits, the place has remained relatively clear. Nevertheless, with the exception of the Kurz-Hof and a chapel from the late 19th century, there are no historical buildings, but mainly large hotel buildings in the style of the 1970s. In addition to typical types of winter sports, skateboarding and an indoor swimming pool are now on offer, and of course there are various hiking opportunities. Summer skiing was stopped in 2013 due to the retreat of the glacier.
In Kurzras , the sheep drive into the Ötztal begins in mid-June , and the sheep return in September, which is always associated with a festival.
Since the discovery of the “man from the ice”, the glacier mummy, Kurzras, like many other places nearby, has been dominated by “ Ötzi ”. In addition to various souvenirs, such as plastic figures, there is an Ötzi shop, an Ötzi supermarket, the Ötzi Rope Park, the Ötzilino children's club, an Ötzi show gallery, and hotel guests are said to be served a "Chateau Ötzi" table wine .
Worth seeing
- The Schnalstaler Glacier Railway
- The historic Kurzhof "Kurz-Hof"
- The chapel of the Holy Family from 1895, in front of which there is a monument to Leo Gurschler
- Hiking trail to the Schöne-Aussicht-Hütte
Picture gallery
Kurzras from above
Sports hotel
Mountain station of the glacier lift
chapel
Interior of the chapel
Hut "Schöne Aussicht"
.JPG)
Web links
- Historical document, back then "Chorzeras" and "Schnalserthal"
- Information from schnalstal.it
- History of the glacier railway
- The chapel
Coordinates: 46 ° 45 ' N , 10 ° 47' E