Karthaus

Certosa

During the drive back into the valley, this idyllic village should not be missed, although it is hardly visible from the valley road, even though it is only 600 metres on the left of the main road. This is where the Karthaus monks once lived (1326 to 1782) and you still can feel the spiritual presence within the cloister walls. In 1924, the village was nearly totally destroyed, but even today, visitors can find numerous traces of the former Certosa monastery. A part of the circular wall is still intact – and so is the cloisters, the Holy Grave tomb, the monks’ kitchen ... All of these are witnesses from the times of the monastery, which came to an end during secularisation by Emperor Joseph II of Austria. Life in the monastery was not very peaceful, as you can see from the circular walls. They were built to protect the monks from the farmers, who had to pay high taxes to the monastery. Today, the wonderfully renovated Certosa is the seat of the town hall, the post office, as well as a branch of the Raiffeisenkasse (bank) of Schnals.
The guesthouses in and around Certosa are welcoming to all guests and you will feel at home, whether you come during the summer or the winter. Opposite Certosa, towards the north of the main Alpine mountain range, the Pfossen Valley leads you directly into the heart of the Texel Group Nature Park.