Easter in Tirol

The Easter markets in Innsbruck, Hall and Kufstein are particularly beautiful and well worth visiting. Browsing amongst the stalls with Easter decorations, traditional foods and musical performances will certainly put some “spring” in your step.

Easter Festival Tirol is one of the most prestigious and recognised Easter festivals in German speaking countries. Every year, concerts, dance performances and passion music are presented over a two week period in Innsbruck and Hall.

In Erl, the oldest Passion Play venue in German speaking countries, Erl Passion Play is performed every six years. Around 600 amateur actors from the small local community actively participate in the play. The next play will be performed in 2025.

Thiersee Passion Play can also be experienced every six years. Preparations for the next event in 2022 are currently in full swing.

Palm Sunday is celebrated with traditional processions in many Tirolean communities. The procession in Imst in Tirolean Oberland is particularly noteworthy. Here the young men process through the village with „palm branches“, elaborately decorated with colourful ribbons, olive branches and pretzels. They can be up to an incredible 30 metres long and jostle for space in the Easter skies with the church steeple. Before they can take part in the competition for the longest palm branch, those carrying them need to stand these pieces of art, which can weigh up to 300 kg, upright against the church wall!

The small community of Thaur near Innsbruch can also look back on a long tradition of pre-Easter celebrations, where the “Palm Donkey” has special significance. A carved wooden figure of the Palm Donkey with an almost life-size figure of Christ is pulled through the village by the altar boys on a four wheeled carriage. This procession leads up to the beautiful Romedi chapel.