Montafon#

Montafon Valley (formerly also Montavon), Vorarlberg, high mountain valley of the upper Ill river, 40 km long, surrounded by the Silvrettagruppe and Raetikon mountain ranges in the southwest, and the Verwallgruppe in the northeast; southernmost valley of Vorarlberg, name derived from the Rhaeto-Romanic words mont (mountain) and tavon (gorge). Came to Austria in 1394 by purchase together with the town of Bludenz. The local people subdivide the region into "Innerfratte" and "Ausserfratte" ("Interior" and "Exterior" Montafon), divided by the "Fratte" defile near Mauren, a hamlet, southeast of Schruns. The valley, which is highly populated today, was first settled by Rhaeto-Romans, who have left their mark on numerous local mountain, place, field, and family names. Later Alemanni and Walser, emigrants from the Swiss canton Wallis (Valais), came to the region. The typical Montafon house is a combination of the Rhaeto-Roman stone house with the Valais wood house. The economic structure is mainly characterized by cattle breeding (Montafon brown cattle), forestry and tourism. Until the 18th century, mining in the Bartholomaeberg - Kristberg - Silbertal region. Around the turn of the century one third of the Montafon population worked outside the valley as seasonal workers (bricklayers, stuccoists, scythe sellers, cabbage cutters, etc.). The construction of the Vorarlberg Illwerke with new roads, settlements, railways and lifts greatly stimulated the economy. Winter tourism also created a great number of jobs. Since the completion of the Silvretta Alpine Road (starting point Partenen) the Montafon has been subject to heavy traffic, with lots of cars passing through to Switzerland. The private Montafon Railway (standard gauge railway, 13 km long, opened 1905) connects Schruns with Bludenz. A speciality of the region is the traditional Montafon women´s costume. A typical fire custom still practised today is the "Abbrennen des Funkens" ("spark burning"). Villages: Schruns (690 m, main place); Bartholomaeberg (1,087 m) with Innerberg (1,151 m, oldest settlement of the Montafon) and Gargellen (1,423 m, most high-lying settlement).