Discover Kennelbach: Nature, Culture and Trails

Kennelbach brings together natural landscapes, church history and an industrial past within a compact thematic area. The Bregenzerach Gorge valley is particularly impressive and belongs to a Natura 2000 site. Anyone planning a trip with walks, historical discoveries and cultural impressions will find various starting points here for planning their days. When searching for a holiday apartment in Kennelbach, you can therefore first consider whether your main interests are trails through the landscape, St. Joseph’s Parish Church, the history of the textile industry or events at Villa Grünau.

Natural landscapes and trails along the Bregenzerach

In the Natura 2000 section between the mouth of the Weißach and the Kennelbach weir, the Bregenzerach flows through a relatively narrow gorge. Another section of the Natura 2000 site from Kennelbach to Bozenau can be walked along an easy footpath. This allows you to incorporate the landscape into your travel plans in different ways: you can plan a walk along the footpath or get to know the gorge area as a special natural landscape.

The Weinbergweg also tells of the village’s past. It still connects the village of Kennelbach with Langenerstraße and recalls the former viticulture of the Mehrerau and Hirschtal monasteries. Those who enjoy combining landscapes with local history will find a specific trail with a historical connection here. The municipality of Kennelbach strives to keep the hiking trails and benches in the best possible condition. When planning an excursion, however, you should still take the respective route and current conditions into account yourself.

The Känzele via ferrata has a clearly defined route: all variants are accessed via the Lower Känzele Trail and end at the Upper Känzele Trail. This information is particularly helpful if you are planning a more active day and want to organize the beginning and end of the outing in advance. It describes the connection between the trails without anticipating a specific route or level of difficulty.

St. Joseph’s Parish Church and Kennelbach’s History

The Parish Church of St. Joseph represents both religious and industrial development. Construction work on the Neo-Gothic church began in spring 1890 because the old little church had become too small. It was consecrated on October 28, 1891. The interior comprises a spacious nave with a wooden ceiling and a roomy apse. Its furnishings include 13 figurative windows, 11 of which were made by the Tyrolean Glass-Painting Institute. In the chancel, a carved Christmas scene by Tyrolean artist Josef Bachlechner stands in place of the high altar; the triptych HIN ZUM LICHT by Manfred Egender is also part of the church’s modern art.

The history of the church site goes back further: in 1465, the Dominican nuns of Hirschthal moved into the monastery and little church at the site of today’s cemetery. The former Hirschtal Dominican convent burned down in 1796 in the area of today’s parish church. Kennelbach’s development also included its transformation into an industrial municipality. The Jenny & Schindler textile works were founded in 1838 and were the largest cotton spinning mill in the monarchy at the time. In 1882, they introduced electric lighting in Vorarlberg for the first time. Once Kennelbach had become an industrial municipality, Joseph the Worker was chosen as its patron; previously, John the Baptist had been the patron.

Services are held at St. Joseph’s Parish Church at 10:15 a.m. on Sundays and public holidays. The Mariahilf Chapel on the Halde, also called “Maria auf der Halden,” is dedicated to Mater dolorosa, Our Lady of Sorrows, and was expanded in 1911 under Pastor Johann Gabl. This allows you to combine different eras and religious sites during a cultural tour without reducing Kennelbach to a single historical facet.

Culture at Villa Grünau

Villa Grünau adds a cultural offering to the village landscape. Visitors can enjoy concert evenings featuring classical music from all eras and jazz sounds in the park. The Kennelbach Music Association also announces an annual village festival on July 4 and 5 in the park of Villa Grünau. Those who do not want to focus their trip exclusively on hikes can take such cultural dates into account when choosing their travel period. Villa Grünau also offers civil weddings, free ceremonies and an agape on its terrace; an appointment for a civil wedding must be coordinated with the Bregenz registry office.

The Right Base for Your Trip

A holiday apartment in Kennelbach can be a good starting point if you would like to combine nature, local history and culture in one stay. For active days, the footpath in the Natura 2000 site, the Weinbergweg and the trails around Känzele are the main attractions. For quieter or culture-focused days, St. Joseph’s Parish Church, Mariahilf Chapel and Villa Grünau offer suitable points of focus.

If you would like to extend your travel plans beyond Kennelbach, you can also include Alberschwende, Rehmen, Krumbach, Schwarzenberg, Hard, Möggers, Großdorf and Fußach in your further selection.

For the overarching travel overview: Bregenz.