Dornbirn Austria

Dornbirn is a city in the Austrian state of Vorarlberg. It is the administrative centre for the district of Dornbirn, which also includes the town of Hohenems, and the market town Lustenau.

Dornbirn is located in western Vorarlberg at 437 metres above sea level in the Alpine Rhine Valley, at the foot of the Karren mountain, part of the Bregenz Forest Mountain chain at the edge of the Eastern Alps. It is near the borders to Switzerland, Germanyand Liechtenstein. The Dornbirner Ach river flows through the town and later into Lake Constance.

However, Dornbirn has much more to offer than just that. Along the banks of the Ach, you reach the spectacular Rappenlochschlucht, a recommended outing which certainly impresses guests. In Gütle, the industrial history meets a spectacle of nature. From here, paths take you to the unique vantage point above the Rhine Valley, the Karren and into hidden Ebnit, only a stone’s throw from beautiful mountain landscapes. The industrialisation of Vorarlberg was particularly successful in Dornbin. The mid-19th century saw numerous companies setting out on what would become a success story which has left behind urban traces. This has not changed – the competitiveness of the companies continues to leave its mark on the architecture and the lifestyle of the peoprle even today. You must not miss the site of the closed-down Rüschwerke in the town park which have mutated into a cultural hotspot. Adapted with a great deal of sensitivity and stellar architecture, the old fabric of the former factory buildings form a lovely contrast to the modern art in the Kunstraum Dornbirn and the interactive inatura nature show which are both at home here.

HOW TO GET THERE

1. Vorarlberg is easily accessible by all routes, and from all directions. Motorists travelling on the motorways and dual carriageways in Austria must buy a vignette. Pan your route

2. from the North via Stuttgart – Singen – Meersburg – Lindau via Ulm – Memmingen – Lindau via Augsburg or Munich – Kempten – Lindau or via Munich – Memmingen – Lindau

3. from the West via Zurich – St. Gallen – St. Margrethen via Zurich – Walensee – Sargans

4. from the South via Como (I/CH) – San Bernardino – Thusis – Chur via Reschenpass (I/A) – Landeck or Brenner-motorway (I/A) – Innsbruck – Landeck – Arlberg-Road Tunnel or -Pass

5. from the East via Innsbruck – Landeck – Arlberg-Road Tunnel or -Pass

6. The use of all motorways and dual carriageways in Austria (in Vorarlberg, these are the A14 and the S16) is subject to a fee. You can buy a 10-day, 2-month or a yearly toll sticker.