Marmots at the Hohe Salve
In the footsteps of a legend - Margarethe at the "Fieberbrunnen"
Fieberbrunn is a place with history.
From mining to famous healing springs to a mysterious legend - those who follow in the footsteps of the past will be rewarded with exciting insights from a long-forgotten time.
The village of Fieberbrunn, the largest village in the PillerseeTal, is not only home to almost 4.250 people, but is also a popular destination for holidaymakers from all over the world. And not without reason. A visit to the former mining village is also an admission ticket to a breath taking natural cinema. It is no secret that the market town in the middle of the Kitzbühel Alps is the ideal starting point for outdoor experiences in a dreamlike setting. How many historical events have left their traces there, however, is unknown to many. "Fieberbrunn" was first mentioned in 1445. It was named after the so-called "Fieberbrünnlein" (small fountain), a curative spring that rises below today's church hill. Exactly this well is also the origin of a very special legend. The journey through time starts ...
Power of water
The year is 1354 and we are at the "Fieberbrünnlein" in the heart of the village. The church, which is enthroned here today, still has to wait almost one hundred years for its construction. Troubled by fever, the princess of the Tyrol makes her way Margarethe Maultasch on the way to the source of the fountain. The enjoyment of the water alleviates their symptoms and the hoped for healing begins. From this day on, the spring bears the name Fieberbrunnen. Almost 300 years later, according to legend, Claudia von Medici was also cured of water.
But once again back to Margarethe. The woman, described by contemporaries as extremely beautiful, lives on for 15 years after the fever she survived and dies at the age of 51. Her nickname was misinterpreted for a long time and Margarethe imagined herself with a misshapen mouth. Where exactly the name Maultasch comes from is still unclear today. However, it is rumoured that the dubious nickname was created by her first husband Johann Heinrich, who spread the worst rumours about his wife.
Numerous mysteries
To this day there is no evidence that Margarethe Maultasch ever walked on Fieberbrunner territory. Nevertheless, in 1971 a bronze statue of the beautiful woman was placed near today's fountain. The creator of this work is none other than the famous sculptor Josef Bachlechner, who comes from a family of famous sculptors. Characteristic for his figures are slender creatures and strictly stylized draperies of the clothes. All these characteristics can also be found in Margarethe's illustrations. An impressive female figure in a princely robe looks into the distance with serious, thoughtful eyes and holds a drinking cup in her slender hand. Whether the story around the fountain is true or not will always remain a mystery. But the fact is that the statue of Margarethe Maultasch still impresses today, demands respect and shows greatness.
© Petra AstnerPramau became Fieberbrunn
In former times the village was called Fieberbrunn Pramau. This name is derived from the blackberry bush and tells of the infertility of the valley community at that time.
