The history of our hotel at Lake Reschen
The tragic story of
a sunken village.
The bell tower of the former St. Katharina church is a prominent South Tyrolean landmark. It is both a stunning attraction and a testimony to the tragic past of a village sunken in the waters of Lake Reschen. For years, it has fascinated the local population and travellers from across the globe. It tells the story of the village of Alt-Graun still sitting beneath its own reflection of the water surface. It also tells the story of our hotel at Lake Reschen, which was swallowed by the waters of the Adige river in 1950. Originally, the hotel was located only a few metres from the church tower. A dam project was meant to advance the industrialisation of the region, not considering the effects this could have on the inhabitants. However, the lonely bell tower overlooking Lake Reschen not only reminds of this tragic chapter of local history; it also provides a symbol of hope and resilience. For, right at the lakeside, the historical Vinschgau population rebuilt the village of Graun from the ground upwards. Our hotel is also a sign of the resilient nature of our people, having been built anew after it disappeared in the lake together with the entire village. We were even able to retrieve a part of our original furniture and reused it in the new hotel. Run by the fifth generation, our family enterprise is now one of the oldest hotels at Lake Reschen.
