Heavy steps down dark alleys

The night watchman's heavy robe rustles softly as he climbs the steps to the tower of St. Laurentius Church. The old wood creaks with every step he takes and his lantern casts a flickering light onto the steps in front of us. He has left his staff, the so-called "Hellebarde", at the entrance - it would be too much trouble to carry it up the 138 steps to the top floor of the tower. We follow him - curious and excited to see what awaits us up there.

We, that's my husband Jan, our two children Tim and Julia and me, Heike. After Gayenhofen Castle, the tower ascent is the second stop on today's night watchman tour - and the highlight of the evening tour. Our night watchman Markus has already told us many exciting details about the history of the medieval town of Bludenz and its development up to the present day. Now, almost at the top, we can already make out the three bells of St. Laurentius Church. Markus explains that the people of Bludenz had to save money for 160 years to be able to afford to rebuild the church tower after a devastating fire.

Slightly out of breath, we finally reach the small platform below the onion dome. Markus opens the shutters of the eight windows - and the view is breathtaking once again. The lights of the town shine in the dusk, while our gaze wanders over the surrounding mountains and valleys: the Brandnertal, the Klostertal and the Walgau. Simply beautiful. "Mom, we went skiing back there this morning, didn't we?" Tim calls out. And he's right. At the very end of the valley that stretches south from here and is called Brandnertal, we both hit the slopes today, while dad and Julia went on a tobogganing safari.

One last family selfie with the sparkling night-time Bludenz in the background, and we're off again. Markus wants to show us the medieval alleyways of the old town and introduce us to the duties of a night watchman. For centuries, he watched over the citizens' safe sleep, patrolled the streets and alleyways in the dark, kept the peace, warned of thieves and fires and called out the hour - in Bludenz until the 1970s.

After all these exciting impressions, my stomach slowly starts to rumble. Fortunately, a spicy cheese platter awaits us at the end. And a wonderfully cool Fohrenburger beer for Jan and me. Cheers!