Journey of Archduke Stephan Through Tyrol via Meran and Passeier to Innsbruck

Austrian Monarchy.

Tyrol.

Innsbruck, 2 Sept. After His Imperial Highness the Most Serene Archduke Stephan had toured the provinces of the Lombardo-Venetian Kingdom, he was pleased to delight also the Province of Tyrol and Vorarlberg with a visit. On 20 August, His Imperial Highness arrived in Mals in the evening from Bormio via the Stelvio Pass, where he was received with mortar salutes and triumphal arches in the customary simple local fashion; Landesschützen were drawn up on parade with martial music, and the assembled crowd displayed the liveliest joy at this first arrival of an exalted member of the Imperial House so dear to all Tyroleans. On the following day, after the conclusion of a solemn church service in the parish church, His Imperial Highness departed for Nauders to inspect the newly erected fortifications and, after a brief excursion to the Martinsbruck heights made notable by the military action of 1799, returned in the evening to Mals, where he deigned to attend a small popular gathering with the gracious condescension and kindness characteristic of princes of the Most Serene Imperial House, presenting the music and rifle association with a prize donation for a shooting competition. On the morning of 22 August, His Imperial Highness continued his journey to Meran, arriving around midday, where he was received with deep deference by His Excellency the Provincial Governor. In the afternoon, accompanied by the Governor, His Imperial Highness inspected the public institutions and visited the ancestral seat of Castle Tyrol. The following morning His Imperial Highness proceeded to Lana, honouring with his visit the ancestral castle of the Counts of Brandis, which affords a fine view over the region, the ancient parish church with its remarkable carved altarpiece, and the newly established charitable institute of the Teutonic Sisters. Returning to Meran, he found a detachment of Landesschützen drawn up and conversed at length and in the most gracious manner with several veterans who had steadfastly endured the ever-memorable struggles on behalf of their hereditary sovereign. His Imperial Highness then received the district court, the clergy, and the town magistracy, continuing his journey on horseback in the afternoon toward Passeier, where he took quarters at the Sandhof, the home of the honest Hofer. The following day, His Imperial Highness traversed an arduous mountain path into the interior of the ruggedly scenic valley, spending the night in an alpine hut at Schönau. Still more arduous was the journey the next day, when the Most Serene Prince, taking a detour across a glacier and facing considerable danger when fog set in, descended from the Timmelsjoch into the Ötztal, arriving in Sölden after an exhausting 13-hour trek to spend the night. On 26 August, His Imperial Highness drove down the Ötztal (as well as the poor mountain road permitted), viewed the Stuiben waterfall near Umhausen, and arrived in the evening in the best of health in Silz, where District Captain von Neupauer had the honour of receiving him and presenting the officials of the district court along with the Imperial-Royal Cameral Councillor and District Officer Ferdinand Schesulan, who had arrived from Imst. After a brief stay, the Most Serene Prince continued his journey via Telfs and Zirl to Innsbruck, where he arrived on the night between 26 and 27 August and took up lodgings in the Imperial-Royal Hofburg. Everywhere His Imperial Highness was met with warmest expressions of joy and sincere devotion to the Imperial House, and everywhere the mountain folk voiced their simple yet deeply felt gratitude toward the high prince who, disregarding the hardships of the route, visited their secluded heights and valleys, showing his benevolence toward everyone. During his stay in Innsbruck from 27 August to 1 September, His Imperial Highness took the opportunity to become acquainted with the authorities, attend sessions of the Gubernium and the court of appeals, and visit the public institutions to thoroughly inspect their conditions. On the 28th, he attended a military parade, reviewing both the troops and the uniformed civic corps. Yesterday around noon, His Imperial Highness resumed his journey toward Vorarlberg.