About Schwarzenberg
Schwarzenberg is considered one of the most beautiful villages in the Bregenzerwald
One of the oldest towns in the Bregenzerwald
This community with almost 2,000 residents is located at an elevation of 700 m in the wide basin of the Bregenzerwald. Schwarzenberg extends over an area of 26 km² from the Hochälpele (1457 m) via the Bödele and Lorena to the shores of the crystal-clear Bregenzerache.
Nestled in the undulating landscape rich in mixed woodlands, the village is surrounded by green hill tops. The beginnings of the settlement date back to the 11th century. The first documented mention was in 1270. Although taxes and tithes were paid to church and secular authorities, the Upper Bregenzerwald progressively gained autonomy. The Landamman (chief magistrates), jurisdiction over high crimes, and power to grant pardon elected by the people have been documented since 1400. This "Bregenzerwald Farmers' Republic" withstood until the days of Napoleon and the Bavarian occupation resulting from all the subjugation attempts by ruling powers.
To this day, the stately houses suggest the significant wealth that prevailed in Schwarzenberg. The property owners were large-scale farmers, merchants, and money lenders, and they accordingly played an important role in valley politics. The historically listed 260 year old village center probably had many stories to tell about the former Farmers' Republic and Schwarzenberg's center of trade. Despite the construction activity in recent decades, the original structure has remained preserved. Beautiful old farmhouses with shingled roofs and the typical thatched roofs dominate the landscape in Schwarzenberg. They are surrounded by completely wooden Vorsäßhütte, which are the huts in the low mountain pastures. With much care, the architects in the region have remodeled the traditional farmhouses and inns into modern residences. Tradition and modernity are harmoniously combined to bear witness to the past and display the self-awareness of the present-day.
