In the heart of the Vinschgau Valley, where Tyrol's mountains stretch into the sky like sleeping giants and the wind carries ancient stories through the valleys, a tower rises from the water. Silent. Majestic. Unreal. Like a memorial to times gone by. It is the church tower of Alt-Graun – the last visible relic of a village swallowed by the floods.
A place as beautiful as a fairy tale – and as sad as a lament
Lake Reschen, today a popular destination for hikers, water sports enthusiasts, and dreamers, was once fertile land. Where the water now glitters and sailboats dance, people lived in small hamlets with names like Gorf, Arlung, and Stockerhöfe. It was a hard but honest life. Until, in the summer of 1950, time itself held its breath.
For a major power plant project, the valley was flooded – not gradually, but violently. Houses, stables, barns – everything fell victim to the water. The residents were dispossessed, uprooted, and displaced. Only the pinnacle of resistance remained: the church of Alt-Graun, or more precisely, its 14th-century tower, which rises defiantly above the water as if to cry out to the heavens: "I was there, I am there, I will be there."
The Legend of the Hunchback from the Deep
But the tower holds more than just history—it guards a secret. A legend that settles like mist over the still waters:
It is said that on particularly clear nights, or when the mist rises from the lake like the breath of an old soul, bells can be heard. Bells that should no longer be there, for they were removed before the flooding. And yet: their sound breaks the silence, echoes across the lake, reaching the hearts of those who will listen.
The old folk tell of a bell ringer who didn't go with his village, who refused to leave Alt-Graun. When the flood came, he remained in the tower. He was never found. Some say he drowned; others say he merged with the church and is now the spirit himself who rings the bells.
When the wind sweeps across the lake, the children of Graun tell each other that he's on the move again – the bell ringer, who reopens old wounds with his ringing. Not out of malice. But out of longing. For his village. For a life he could never let go of.
Visit to the edge of reality
The church tower in Lake Reschen is now a world-famous photo opportunity, listed among the "15 Most Enchanting Places in the World." But those who come only with a camera will miss the essence. This place is not just beautiful—it is steeped in history and spirit.
The lake is easily accessible via the Vinschgau state road. A parking lot with a viewing platform offers a wonderful view of the landmark. And for those who want more than just a view, we recommend the four-hour hike around the lake – a 15-kilometer path of contemplation.
In the Vinschger Oberland Museum in Graun, old photos, documents and eyewitness accounts tell of forced expropriation, resistance, despair – but also of love of homeland.
A memorial in quiet beauty
So it stands there, the tower of Alt-Graun. Between past and present, between fairy tale and warning. It is a memorial to those who lost their homeland. A mystical guardian over forgotten villages. And perhaps, if you listen very carefully—just perhaps—you too will hear them: the bells from the depths.
And when you hear them, don't forget to pause. Because sometimes legends sound louder than any truth.
