Mountain fire. Living customs
Tyrolean mountains in flames: When the longest day meets the shortest night, summer in the Alps is greeted with fires on the mountain.
Since 2010, the mountain bonfires at the summer solstice in the Alps have even been a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
A medieval custom, which also has a long tradition in Tyrol, are the mountain fires that are lit on the solstice around June 21. Numerous clubs and groups set off every year to light their bonfires on this evening to celebrate the longest day of the year. Shortly after dark, large solstice bonfires light up the mountains and provide a mystical backdrop. In June, spectacular fire pictures with different motifs and symbols can be seen again.
The Sacred Heart fire is also lit in many places in Tyrol. The Sacred Heart oath was intended to unite all Tyroleans as one in the fight against the French. As a result, beacons were lit on some peaks so that even remote regions could be reached quickly. The French troops were subsequently defeated by surprise and so the mountain fires are also known today as Sacred Heart fires.
How does the fire get up the mountain
Today, there are countless clubs in the Alpine region that plan and stage the mountain fires. Members of all ages meet long before sunset and, after the torches and fire pots have been distributed among the many rucksacks, begin the arduous ascent.
Shortly before sunset, at around 9 pm, the time has come. One fire after another is lit and the mountain companions make their way back to the valley in the glow of dusk or spend the night together on the mountain.
