The history of the Stollen
Anyone who knows Kufstein also knows the Römerhofgasse and the Auracher Löchl pleasure restaurant - this is not only true for today's guests and locals, but also for travelers and townspeople in the 14th century.
Then as now, the protective Kufstein fortress mountain provides support, the green Inn flows as a gentle lifeline, the ancient town gate stands to the left and the lively alleyway to the right. Despite its many different parts, the courtyard has always been perceived as a unit. But when you consider how close the Auracher Löchl was to the lower town gates and how closely its fate was linked to the Kufstein fortress, the question arises as to who was watching over the house protectively for over 600 years. As if by a miracle, the Auracher Löchl was spared much of the evil that the rest of the town had to endure. Old traditions tell of numerous "good spirits"...
From 1400...
Around 1409, the oldest part of the Auracher Hof was built directly behind the town wall with Inn stones on the fortress hill. The nickname "Löchl" comes from a 90 meter long tunnel that the owners had carved into the rock to cool their home-brewed beer. The tavern was a popular meeting place in the town from as early as 1448. Soldiers from the fortress frequented it, with officers sitting in the heated parlor, which has been preserved to this day, and the lower ranks in the rocky basement. Inn raftsmen, fishermen, merchants and travelers would stop at the Auracher Steg to rest themselves and their horses. Local craftsmen and farmers offered their wares here, and the upper classes and clergy were also regular guests. It is no wonder that politics were played out in this place, where valuable information flowed alongside the River Inn. The founding Auracher family provided a total of ten mayors in the following generations and continuously expanded their reputation and the court.
From1500...
After the siege and conquest of Kufstein in 1504 by Emperor Maximilian I, Auracher historiography reports the appearance of the first "good spirit". A headless Bavarian follower of the beheaded fortress captain Pienzenauer sat in his favorite tavern from midnight and faithfully watched over his favorite place. Thanks to him, the Auracher Löchl is said to have been spared from the plundering soldiers of the Habsburg Emperor.
From 1600...
It is not known which good spirit protected the Auracher Löchl during the devastating town fire of 1703. The fire, set by the people of Kufstein to stop the approaching army of the Bavarian Elector Max Emanuel, quickly got out of control. But the Auracher Hof was miraculously spared. In the history of Kufstein, the green Inn was not only a trade route and lifeline, but also a constant threat. The brick crossing, which today spans Römerhofgasse and is home to the "smallest bridge restaurant in the world", served as an emergency access route to the Festungsberg during floods. The fact that this emergency walkway was rarely needed was thanks to the good spirit of "Fischer-Loisl", who, after his death in the Inn, always warned residents and guests of floods in good time.
From 1800...
In 1809, the town once again caught fire during the Tyrolean War of Independence against Napoleon's troops, but the Auracher Hof was spared. From 1869, wine was stored and served for the first time in the former Auracher Löchl alehouse. The well-stocked wine cellar became the realm of the "Black Cat". It always lay on the best barrel and defended it hissing and scratching against unauthorized tapping. The superstitious servants thought the cat was an emissary of the devil and left the wine alone. In gratitude, the Aurach innkeepers incorporated the black cat into their house emblem.
From 1900...
At the turn of the century, Kufstein became a winter sports stronghold. The annual "winter sports festivals" were glamorous social events. Guests from Bavaria and even England traveled by special trains to experience pair tobogganing, ski competitions, snowshoe races, ski jumping and horn sledge races. In 1906, the figure skating competitions and the ice festival on the Auracher pond had to be canceled because the "good spirits" of the Auracher Löchl had cut out blocks of ice to cool the beer. In 1908, the Bavarian State Railway complained about the late return of the Munich train, as the passengers spent a long time in Kufstein restaurants.
During the First and Second World Wars, the tunnels in the Festungsberg were used as shelters. The Auracher Löchl was spared from bombs and fire. In 1922, the Neuhauser family took over the farm and continued to run it in the traditional way. The musician Karl Ganzer, who performed at the Auracher Löchl from 1946, composed the world-famous Kufstein song "Kennst du die Perle, die Perle Tirols..." there. His seat is still kept free today, and a monument was erected in his honor in front of the house.
In 1992, the Zillertal restaurateur Raimund Hirschhuber took over the inn.
From 2000...
After the early death of Raimund Hirschuber in 2003, his son Richard took over the Genusshof Auracher Löchl. The Auracher Löchl's boutique rooms were individually themed and the "Kufsteiner Kühlschrank" was transformed into a legendary gin bar. After 15 years, Richard, known as Ricci, retired from the restaurant and hotel business.
Experienced restaurateurs Beatrice and Christian Walch immediately fell in love with the historic Auracher Löchl and took over the Genusshof in 2018, even leaving behind the Brenneralm in the Wilder Kaiser mountains, which they had successfully made famous. Since then, they have been actively responsible for preserving the old stories and traditions while incorporating the current spirit of the times.
In 2021, Trixi and Christian expanded the venerable Auracher Löchl. The adjacent "Pflugerhaus" was completely gutted, whereby the historic walls, including the former Kufstein town wall, were fully preserved and integrated into the redesign. The result is 10 boutique rooms and suites, a café, a sky bar and new terraces - all created with great passion and attention to detail. The history of the hotel is continued in all areas and can be felt everywhere. A three-month construction stop, during which archaeologists uncovered the oldest parts of Kufstein, not only caused excitement in the Auracher Löchl team, but also enthusiasm. A comprehensive report on these discoveries can be viewed in the café.
The charm of the wonderful Auracher Löchl building has been preserved, while at the same time keeping up with the times. As one of the top sights in Kufstein and an absolute must-see, you can experience the history of Kufstein up close here. See for yourself during a stay at the Auracher Löchl. Enjoy a culinary break in the traditional restaurant, the boutique hotel, the café, the "Stollen 1930" gin bar or the "Panorama 1830" sky bar, where old and new are perfectly combined.
From 1400...
Around 1409, the oldest part of the Auracher Hof was built directly behind the town wall with Inn stones on the fortress hill. The nickname "Löchl" comes from a 90 meter long tunnel that the owners had carved into the rock to cool their home-brewed beer. The tavern was a popular meeting place in the town from as early as 1448. Soldiers from the fortress frequented it, with officers sitting in the heated parlor, which has been preserved to this day, and the lower ranks in the rocky basement. Inn raftsmen, fishermen, merchants and travelers would stop at the Auracher Steg to rest themselves and their horses. Local craftsmen and farmers offered their wares here, and the upper classes and clergy were also regular guests. It is no wonder that politics were played out in this place, where valuable information flowed alongside the River Inn. The founding Auracher family provided a total of ten mayors in the following generations and continuously expanded their reputation and the court.
From1500...
After the siege and conquest of Kufstein in 1504 by Emperor Maximilian I, Auracher historiography reports the appearance of the first "good spirit". A headless Bavarian follower of the beheaded fortress captain Pienzenauer sat in his favorite tavern from midnight and faithfully watched over his favorite place. Thanks to him, the Auracher Löchl is said to have been spared from the plundering soldiers of the Habsburg Emperor.
From 1600...
It is not known which good spirit protected the Auracher Löchl during the devastating town fire of 1703. The fire, set by the people of Kufstein to stop the approaching army of the Bavarian Elector Max Emanuel, quickly got out of control. But the Auracher Hof was miraculously spared. In the history of Kufstein, the green Inn was not only a trade route and lifeline, but also a constant threat. The brick crossing, which today spans Römerhofgasse and is home to the "smallest bridge restaurant in the world", served as an emergency access route to the Festungsberg during floods. The fact that this emergency walkway was rarely needed was thanks to the good spirit of "Fischer-Loisl", who, after his death in the Inn, always warned residents and guests of floods in good time.
From 1800...
In 1809, the town once again caught fire during the Tyrolean War of Independence against Napoleon's troops, but the Auracher Hof was spared. From 1869, wine was stored and served for the first time in the former Auracher Löchl alehouse. The well-stocked wine cellar became the realm of the "Black Cat". It always lay on the best barrel and defended it hissing and scratching against unauthorized tapping. The superstitious servants thought the cat was an emissary of the devil and left the wine alone. In gratitude, the Aurach innkeepers incorporated the black cat into their house emblem.
From 1900...
At the turn of the century, Kufstein became a winter sports stronghold. The annual "winter sports festivals" were glamorous social events. Guests from Bavaria and even England traveled by special trains to experience pair tobogganing, ski competitions, snowshoe races, ski jumping and horn sledge races. In 1906, the figure skating competitions and the ice festival on the Auracher pond had to be canceled because the "good spirits" of the Auracher Löchl had cut out blocks of ice to cool the beer. In 1908, the Bavarian State Railway complained about the late return of the Munich train, as the passengers spent a long time in Kufstein restaurants.
During the First and Second World Wars, the tunnels in the Festungsberg were used as shelters. The Auracher Löchl was spared from bombs and fire. In 1922, the Neuhauser family took over the farm and continued to run it in the traditional way. The musician Karl Ganzer, who performed at the Auracher Löchl from 1946, composed the world-famous Kufstein song "Kennst du die Perle, die Perle Tirols..." there. His seat is still kept free today, and a monument was erected in his honor in front of the house.
In 1992, the Zillertal restaurateur Raimund Hirschhuber took over the inn.
From 2000...
After the early death of Raimund Hirschuber in 2003, his son Richard took over the Genusshof Auracher Löchl. The Auracher Löchl's boutique rooms were individually themed and the "Kufsteiner Kühlschrank" was transformed into a legendary gin bar. After 15 years, Richard, known as Ricci, retired from the restaurant and hotel business.
Experienced restaurateurs Beatrice and Christian Walch immediately fell in love with the historic Auracher Löchl and took over the Genusshof in 2018, even leaving behind the Brenneralm in the Wilder Kaiser mountains, which they had successfully made famous. Since then, they have been actively responsible for preserving the old stories and traditions while incorporating the current spirit of the times.
In 2021, Trixi and Christian expanded the venerable Auracher Löchl. The adjacent "Pflugerhaus" was completely gutted, whereby the historic walls, including the former Kufstein town wall, were fully preserved and integrated into the redesign. The result is 10 boutique rooms and suites, a café, a sky bar and new terraces - all created with great passion and attention to detail. The history of the hotel is continued in all areas and can be felt everywhere. A three-month construction stop, during which archaeologists uncovered the oldest parts of Kufstein, not only caused excitement in the Auracher Löchl team, but also enthusiasm. A comprehensive report on these discoveries can be viewed in the café.
The charm of the wonderful Auracher Löchl building has been preserved, while at the same time keeping up with the times. As one of the top sights in Kufstein and an absolute must-see, you can experience the history of Kufstein up close here. See for yourself during a stay at the Auracher Löchl. Enjoy a culinary break in the traditional restaurant, the boutique hotel, the café, the "Stollen 1930" gin bar or the "Panorama 1830" sky bar, where old and new are perfectly combined.