Nassereith

Nassereith, Tirol, municipality in the district of Imst, alt. 838 m, pop. 1953, area 72.43 km², bi-seasonal tourism (132,336 overnight stays, esp. in the summer), situated in the Gurgl valley at the southwest foot of the Mieming mountains. Long tradition in Christmas crib building (in former times mostly loam figures). Contractors´ yard of the district building authority, Fernstein power station, sawmill, sand-blast factory, trade, mask room. Historicist parish church (1846/47) with baroque North tower and romantic/historicist interior; in Dormitz (part of Nassereith, first documented mention in 1050), pilgrimage church St. Nikolaus (late Gothic style, interior baroque from 1746) with the mosaic "Mary with the Infant" (around 1900), baroque frescoes, baroque high altar and late Gothic statue of the Virgin Mary, Fernstein ravine (first documented mention in 1288, former customs post on Fernpass road); ruins of the Sigmundsburg hunting lodge on an island in Lake Fernstein (commencement of construction before 1462); bridge across Lake Fernstein (1856) near Lakes Samerang and Schanzl. Every third year at the end of winter traditional pageant called "Schellerlaufen" ("bell pageant", from "Schelle" = bell), where men carrying huge bells disguised with elaborate carved masks try to chase away the spirits of winter through the noise of their bells (Old Celtic tradition).

Literature: Gemeinde Nassereith (ed.), Heimatbuch Nassereith, 1987.