Between faith and landscape – the chapel tour in Flaurling

In the heart of the Tyrolean Inn Valley, just a few kilometers west of Innsbruck, lies the tranquil village of Flaurling. Hikers here can discover more than just impressive mountain views and rural idylls. A special hike - the so-called Kapellenrunde - combines cultural heritage, religious history and impressive scenery to create a tranquil experience off the beaten track.

The route is around five kilometers long and leads through the hamlet villages around Flaurling with a gentle 200-meter elevation gain. What makes this trail so special are the seven chapels that line the path like little landmarks - each with its own story, some of which are centuries old.

The circular route begins at the baroque parish church in the village center and leads directly to a special place of spiritual and artistic significance: the Kalvarienberg. Here, eleven open wayside shrines with expressive mosaics by Herbert Wachter accompany the Way of the Cross up to the Calvary Chapel - an architecturally simple but atmospherically dense chapel with sweeping views over the Inn Valley. This place is a quiet experience, especially in the early hours of the morning.

The Bärfall Chapel: a place of tranquillity

The path continues to the hamlet of Bärfall, where the chapel of the same name lies between the farms. This simple, brick building with a gabled roof and small ridge turret has been lovingly restored by the village community in recent years. The chapel serves as a place of quiet contemplation and reflects the deep connection of the inhabitants with their history and tradition. From here you can see as far as Innsbruck.

The Schwaighof - highest point

The trail continues to the small hamlet of Fritzens - not to be confused with the municipality of the same name to the east of Innsbruck. There is another simple chapel here, slightly elevated with an unobstructed view down into the Inn Valley. No pomp, no elaborate decorations - instead, this place radiates a quiet dignity that you experience time and again on this tour.

A little further uphill, you reach Schwaighof, the highest point of the chapel circuit at around 851 meters above sea level. The Schwaighof chapel stands here - a silent witness to the region's religious past. The small, brick building with a round chancel end, gabled roof and shingled ridge turret dates back to the late 18th century and has been a listed building since 2015. Inside, a barrel-vaulted room with a painted altar canopy surprises visitors - a fine detail that one would not expect in this secluded location. Here, too, it is clear that these chapels do not tell great stories, but they do make you feel how deeply spirituality, landscape and community are interwoven in Flaurling.

From here, the path of the chapel circuit leads downhill again, down to the hamlet of Ram. Nestled into the gentle slope is a small Marian chapel - known today as the Ram Chapel - which is not only architecturally but also historically significant for the community. It was built in 1815 after an extraordinary event is said to have taken place on July 20 of the same year: According to tradition, Our Lady appeared on a rock very close to where the church stands today on that summer's day. This Marian apparition deeply moved the villagers - as a sign of faith and gratitude, a chapel was built on that spot, which has served as a place of prayer and silent remembrance ever since.

EDIT January 26, 2026: An attentive reader has reported that the Marian apparition was seen at a parlor window in a nearby house, as can be read in the village chronicle of Flaurling.

On the edge of the village is the Ländkapelle, which was built by a blacksmith in 1770. After suffering a serious eye injury, he entrusted himself to the Waldraster Madonna and promised to build a chapel in her honor if he was cured. The chapel still stands today as a testimony to faith and gratitude.

After a final quiet curve - past the charming Risschlössl and the adjoining Riskapelle chapel - the path leads back to the parish church in the heart of Flaurling. And with every step you take back down into the valley, you seem a little transformed: calmer, more present, perhaps even a little further traveled inwardly.

The chapel tour in Flaurling is more than just a hike. It is a quiet conversation with the landscape, a journey through lived stories and a special experience for all those who travel with an open mind and an open heart. For photographers, countless little wonders open up here - in the play of light, in loving details, in the atmosphere. And for everyone else: a place to take a deep breath and simply be there.

All photos © Danijel Jovanovic Photography - www.djphotography.at
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