Austria. Media News.

Dear friends of Austria and fellow travelers,

"I thought I saw you at the bus stop, I didn't though...." 

We all know the feeling of sitting at a bus stop, there is nothing much to see or do and one's mind starts to wander. Suddenly you start "seeing" old friends, colleagues or one of your exes in people walking by - weird, right? We know about one lovely region in Austria that turned their bus stops into an outside art gallery — waiting for a bus here will keep your mind and thoughts busy. 

Today we are taking you to the region of Bregenzerwald, nestled amid the breathtaking Austrian Alps. This captivating region has an extraordinary tale to tell—a story crafted in wood, tradition, and innovation. Let yourself be inspired by art that was inspired by nature.

With warmest regards,
Sigrid Pichler & Helen Bitschnau

Managers of Public Relations
Austrian Tourist Office New York City
sigrid.pichler@austria.info 
helen.bitschnau@austria.info  
tel 212 575 7723 x 119 or x 112
www.austria.info 

Loosely translated Bregenzerwald means “the forest of Bregenz”. And the name says it all. You can feel the presence of the forest and the trees everywhere you go. From various trails inviting you to enjoy some forest bathing, over walking by and into houses covered by Schindeln (wooden shingles) to the art installations / bus stops in Krumbach. Considering the fact that about 40 percent of the region are covered by forest – this should not come as a surprise.

Like in any part of the world it is the people who make a place special and give it its unique atmosphere. In Bregenzerwald you get to witness how the calm and quiet of the area inspires the locals to combine their heritage and traditions with innovative ideas and designs.

There are various forests to discover in the Bregenzerwald, from moorland forests to ravine, alpine, beech and maple forests. One type of forest is something very special and a rarity in Austria – the so-called "Plenterwald". The plenter forest is a managed mixed forest that uses a particularly sustainable method of silviculture. Here, young and old trees grow next to each other and seem to be mixed up, giving the impression of a primeval forest. A typical plenter forest with a nature trail stretches along the Rotenberg between Lingenau and Hittisau. On the 5.5 mile-long trail, hikers can find information about the plenter forest method and the locally resident trees. 

Forests are a source of happiness for everyone who enjoys being out and about in nature, they have a beneficial effect on health, are the habitat for numerous animals and plants — and they supply an important renewable raw material: wood. Namely one that architects and craftsmen love to work with. 

One local craftsmanship that has been practiced for centuries are the wood shingles — hand-made from local firs or spruces. When driving or walking through Bregenzerwald you will see a number of house facades covered in wood shingles. Using wood shingles is an economical, resource-friendly and long-lasting building technique that protects the house from the elements and has been used in this area for centuries. Today you can also find wood shingles as a design element in staircases, bathrooms or restaurants. 

At the Werkraum in Andelsbuch you will find a great variation of innovative wood craftsmanship. Local designers, architects and craftsmen are showcasing their visions on how to bring the Bregenzerwald's resources into their homes. 

In the 1,000 soul village of Krumbach they took Marc Chagall's words to heart and invited architecture teams from all around the world to create bus stops that fit in perfectly with their surrounding. 

The result is a fascinating art installation at each of the towns' bus stops inviting you to let your mind wander and enjoy the wait time for the next bus. To see and experience the whole collection you can take the bus and hop-on and hop-off at every stop or you go for a bus stop crawl and take a walk through the lovely village of Krumbach along the walk "Umgang".

Along the Umgang you can find culinary stops and highlights such as famil-owned hotel Hirschen or one of the cheese shops along the Bregenzerwald Cheese Road.