Imst, the small town set in the highlands of the Tyrol, is a real gem.

With a population of about 10,000, Imst lies in the Oberinn valley along the

"Via Claudia Augusta" road at an altitude of 828 m.

It belongs to the “small historical cities” of Austria.

Tradition - culture and customs

Starkenberg Castle - Biermythos Starkenberg

The 195 year old brewery was remodelled in the last few years and the 690-year-old castle underwent renovations.

Today the brewery and the castle are a “world of experience” describing

the history of the brewers from the beginning until today.

This unique attraction is comprised of the castle with its history, whose

roots go back to the beginning of the 14th century, and the brewery, in

which Austria’s most-awarded beer (39 awards) has been brewed since

1810. The most unique attractions of this experience are the beer

swimming pools.

These are pools filled with diluted “beer sediments”, whose vitamin-rich

properties have been demonstrated over the years. These pools are not

only a fountain of youth for young and old. You can actually swim in them!

Knappenwelt” mining village

The Gurgl valley has been of great importance since the middle ages.

Next to the Kitzbühel and Schwaz regions, the Gurgl valley was one of the

most important mining centres in northern Tyrol.

You can find out more about the hard but fascinating life of the miners at

"Knappenwelt Gurgltal", which lies at the foot of the Tschirgant mountains in

Tarrenz.

Nine buildings and a tunnel invite you to take a fascinating trip into the past.

Imst Schemenlauf (Shrovetide parade)

Every four years the biggest and most splendid Fasnacht carnival of the

Alps region takes place.

In an impressive ensemble of hundreds of masks, this group of people

celebrates the triumph of Spring over Winter at the Imst Schemenlaufen

parade. The main protagonists of the show are Roller and Scheller,

two Fasnacht characters.

The Imst Schemenlaufen Haus der Fasnacht has been nominated to

become a UNESCO immaterial world cultural heritage due to its uniqueness and high cultural value.

Haus der Fasnacht

Fasnacht is the most important “earthly feast day” of the Imst people. It takes place once every four years.

Covered by masks of Roller, Scheller, Altfrank’ and a number of other figures of the Imst Schemenlaufen, the male habitants of Imst parade through the city in an even tempo and hop and jump for hours, accompanied by ringing bells. People dressed in masks and costumes created according to strict traditions follow elaborately built parade wagons.

SOS Children’s Villages

Hermann Gmeiners idea started here in Imst and took flight, spanning the globe. In 1949 in Imst the first SOS-Kinderdorf (SOS Children’s Village) was established.

SOS-Kinderdorf in Imst comprises 12 family homes that house 42 children and youth, including a kindergarten available to local children as well.

Imst – a nature city

Rosengarten gorge

…nature’s jewel in the centre of the city of Imst draws seldom-seen birds

and many visitors to this unique wonder in Tyrol. The impressive

landscape is free for you to view. Alpine plants and animals are found

much lower in the Rosengarten gorge than its actual width indicates

because of its unique conditions. Once you have reached the end of the

gorge in Hoch-Imst you will be greeted by another highlight of the region,

the “Blue Grotto”, a testimony to the middle age mining days.