Art & Culture – Route 2 (1/2 day)

The Vorarlberg Rhine valley is evolving into an interconnected area of settlement featuring a special urbanity. Here, as in the rural Bregenzerwald, design competitions have led to the creation of buildings for everyday use, flagship constructions, and spaces for art and religious life. These constructions have turned out beautifully, meeting the highest international standards, and have won numerous design awards.

Starting in the towns of the Rhine valley, this half-day tour heads to the Bregenzerwald.

Vorarlberg’s cultural buildings give testimony to the historic depth of this region which has been made visible time and again by spirited people who have fought for their beliefs even in the face of social controversy. The colourful history of its settlement and constant migration have resulted in a wealth of cultural relics, ranging from Roman excavations to a rich rural and artisanal heritage, a still visible history of sustainable industrialisation and the “economic miracle” of the post-war era. This broad cultural heritage also manifests itself in industrial buildings that have been successfully put to new uses, or in the cemetery for Vorarlberg’s Muslims.

In a landmark decision, Vorarlberg determined to spread the government institutions among the larger towns and to make Bregenz a focal point for culture and art. This is why you will find all of Vorarlberg’s prominent cultural buildings concentrated in the state capital. In 2013, the opening of the vorarlberg museum marked the completion of a “cultural mile” and of a new town centre around Kornmarkt square. And yet, the state of Vorarlberg is proactively committed to decentralisation. The striking number of architecturally outstanding buildings used for meetings and conventions is the result of rural communities being systematically supported, and of a lively tradition of architecture competitions.

Autor: Robert Fabach
letzte Änderung: 07.04.2020