Tour of the secret underground tunnel

The foundation stone of the Auracher Löchl was laid around 1410 - 1436. At this time a hole, called a Löchl – a little hole - was made in the mountain where the fortress stood. This tunnel, which was about 90 metres long maintained a constant temperature of 8 C° and was used to store the ice needed for brewing the beer. In 1448 an adjoining alehouse was built that bore the name still used today, “Auracher Löchl”. In 1809 Kufstein was burnt down. The Auracher Löchl miraculously escaped the inferno.

In 1921 the Neuhauser family took over the quaint traditional inn and wine tavern. The Neuhauser family were extremely interested in wine and so came to an agreement with the South Tyrol wine growers that allowed them to lay down and store their wine in wooden casks (these can still be seen today). In return the Neuhauser family could help themselves to the wine. The oldest preserved cask that is still in good condition was manufactured in the year 1898.
For hygienic and legal reasons the wooden casks are no longer used for storing wine.

In 1992 the Zillertal businessman, Raimund Hirschhuber, fell in love with the Auracher Löchl and bought it. His son Richard Hirschhuber succeeded him and in 2003 took over the Auracher Löchl. Placing the emphasis firmly on quality, Richard Hirschhuber intends to make the hotel an even bigger attraction and welcome both locals and friends from far and wide. The entire team’s uppermost aim is to attract and charm visitors. This task is supported at management level by Richard Hirschhuber´s friend & business partner Werner Maloccu.

About 10 years ago rumours that there was another underground tunnel under the fortress started to spread. As the rumours increased and with elderly visitors telling us that they had stayed here before in a military hospital or air raid shelter in the 2nd World War, the Hirschhuber family started to pay more attention and to do some research.

When they started to look for the entrance in 1997, it was not long before the opening into a system of unknown and long forgotten underground tunnels was rediscovered. It is 400 metres long and leads from here under the fortress and up to the upper town square. According to the fortress archive, up to 562 people can be accommodated in the tunnel.

As we have discovered after a lot of research, it did indeed serve as a military hospital and air raid bunker for women, children and the elderly and frail sick in the 2nd World War. However on the basis of archaeological finds, geologists from the Tyrolean regional government make the assumption that the tunnel system originated long before the 2nd World War (in the 14th century) and has merely been enlarged. They surmise that it was used as a secret escape route in and out of the fortress in the Middle Ages.

At present only the ice tunnel is passable. The tunnel system is unfortunately not passable. We apologise for the inconvenience caused and hope you will contain your curiosity until the reopening!

Family Hirschhuber & the host team caring for our guests