Berghotel Kasern

Berghotel Kasern (also written Berghotel Kason) is a family-run mountain hotel in the hamlet of Kasern, in the municipality of Prettau at the end of the Ahrntal (Ahrn Valley) in South Tyrol, northern Italy. Situated at roughly 1,600 metres above sea level, it lies at the north-western edge of the Rieserferner-Ahrn Nature Park, close to the head of the valley and the Tauern passes that once linked the region with Austria. The hotel's predecessor, the Ahrntaler Tauernhaus and later Rasthaus Kasern, is documented as early as around 1320 and served for centuries as a shelter for merchants, travellers and miners crossing the Birnlücke and Krimmler Tauern. The settlement of Kasern itself takes its name from this inn. Today the property operates as a three-star-style alpine hotel offering rooms and suites, a restaurant and wellness facilities, and markets itself on traditional South Tyrolean hospitality. Its high altitude and location make it a base for ski touring, cross-country skiing, hiking, mountaineering and climbing; the hotel is also the starting point of the Hoch Tirol ski route and is near the Klausberg and Speikboden ski areas. A climate tunnel (Klimastollen) on site is promoted for relief of respiratory complaints and asthma. The hotel is privately owned and run by the family of Florian, who appears as host on the official website. It is not part of a hotel chain and is not listed on any stock exchange. Its long history, documented in local records and in the German Wikipedia, gives it a heritage status in the valley, and it continues to position itself as a year-round destination for active alpine holidays.

The history of Berghotel Kasern is inseparable from that of the Rasthaus Kasern, the inn from which the hamlet of Kasern takes its name. The site is described as the original farmstead (Urhof) of the area. The Ahrntaler Tauernhaus, later known as Rasthaus Kasern, provided lodging to merchants and travellers crossing the Tauern passes — the Birnlücke (2,665 m) and the Krimmler Tauern (2,634 m) — in earlier times. It is speculated that German emperors Henry II in 1014 and Conrad II in 1027 may have crossed the Tauern here, and it is certain that in January 1363 Duke Rudolf IV of Austria and Carinthia used this crossing in great haste to secure the acquisition of the Tyrol from Margarethe Maultasch. From the 14th century the Rasthaus Kasern also served as a meeting place for the mountain miners of the flourishing copper mine at Prettau; the original Kaserer "Knappenstube" (miners' parlour) is now held in the Ferdinandeum museum in Innsbruck. Kasern was first documented around 1320 in the "Landesfürstliches Urbar" as a Schwaighof (a type of alpine farm), with the record noting dues paid to the Probstei Ahrn: "Der Hof ze Chesern drey hundert chese, vier ellen Grawes tuches, ain lamp, ain chitz, und geit man im ainen mutte gersten..." In 1609 the "Kasr am Taurn" (owner of Kasern) was granted the Brunnwald am Trinkstein by the sovereign Urbar office in Sand in Taufers, in return for which he had to lend caps, gloves, ropes and similar equipment to poorly equipped tourers, who returned the items at the Krimmler Tauernhaus on the other side of the Krimmler Tauern; the equipment then found its way back to Kasern. The name Kasern is thought to derive from the Old High German "Chasarum", meaning alpine hut. The present Berghotel Kasern has preserved its flair and charm into modern times, as its own history page states, with historical photographs dating from before 1900, around 1912, before 1939 and before 1970. Today, located at the north-western edge of the Rieserferner-Ahrn Nature Park, it offers accommodation to new guests such as ski tourers, cross-country skiers and mountain hikers. The hotel is run by the family of Florian, who is named as host on the official website, and it markets itself on tradition and constancy ("Tradition und Beständigkeit").

• 1970

  Historical photograph of Kasern before 1970.

• 1939

  Historical photograph of Kasern before 1939.

• 1912

  Historical photograph of Berghotel Kason around 1912.

• 1900

  Historical photographs of Berghotel Kason date from before 1900.

• 1609

  The owner of Kasern was granted the Brunnwald am Trinkstein, with obligations to lend equipment to travellers.

• German Emperor Henry II possibly crossed the Tauern pass near Kasern.

• German Emperor Conrad II possibly crossed the Tauern pass near Kasern.

• Kasern first documented in the 'Landesfürstliches Urbar' as a Schwaighof.

• Duke Rudolf IV of Austria and Carinthia used the Tauern crossing near Kasern.

Traditional, family-run alpine hotel at high altitude, offering South Tyrolean hospitality and a base for ski touring, hiking and wellness.

• Hotel rooms and suites

• Restaurant and South Tyrolean cuisine

• Wellness and spa facilities

• Climate tunnel (Klimastollen) for respiratory relief

• Ski touring and hiking packages

1. 1Hotel im Ahrntal - Berghotel Kason in Kasern Ahrntal Pustertal Südtirolkasern.com
2. 2Geschichte - Berghotel Kason in Kasern Ahrntal Pustertal Südtirolkasern.com
3. 3Berghotel Kasernwikidata.org
4. 4Berghotel Kasernde.wikipedia.org