Kaisersäule

What You'll Find at the Top

The Kaisersäule rises abruptly from a grassy shoulder beneath the Thaurer Zunterkopf, a monumental pyramid in an otherwise pastoral alpine setting. On its west face, facing toward Innsbruck, a commemorative plaque added in 1907 marks the emperor's original visit. The structure is a protected historic monument, maintained periodically by the local winter sports club.↗↗

Beside the monument stands a memorial cross dedicated in 1980 to fallen mountaineers from Thaur — a cast bronze corpus mounted on a wooden crucifix above a stone base by sculptor Otto Pflanzner. The annual mountain mass of the local sports club was once celebrated here, alternating with the summit cross on the Zunterkopf.↗

But the true spectacle is the view. Looking north and east, the Inn Valley stretches from Hall toward Innsbruck; below to the south, the dramatic Thaurer Klamm gorge cuts into the mountainside. The monument sits at the heart of the Karwendel Nature Park, and chamois are a near-certain sighting on the approach trails across the wildflower meadows known locally as Mähder.↗

The Hike Up

The Kaisersäule is accessible only on foot, which is part of its charm. The most popular route begins at a free forest car park reached by driving up the Langgasse from the centre of Thaur (831 m). From there, the round trip covers roughly 8.4 km and 890 m of ascent, taking about three and a half hours of walking.↗

At the parking area the trail forks: the direct forest road climbs steadily to the Thaurer Alm hut in about an hour, while the Gasperlsteig — a steep, waymarked path marked with the number "3" — switches up through beautiful mixed woodland with benches for rest stops and the cold Gasperl spring along the way. This more scenic option descends to the broad forestry track just before the meadow where the Kaisersäule finally comes into view, adding a short but steep push to the summit. The return is usually made via the Haselbergsteig, a satisfying shortcut through open ground past a large information board.↗↗

Another approach comes from the Halltal valley via the Thaurer Törl saddle — the very route the emperor himself took in 1815 — which can be combined into a longer circuit through the nature park.↗

Practical Tips for Your Visit

The Thaurer Alm mountain hut (1,464 m), about halfway up and easily visible from the Kaisersäule, serves food and drinks and is traditionally open until 31 October. It makes a natural rest stop on the way up or down and is popular with mountain bikers who ride the broad forest road from Thaur.↗↗

The Gasperlsteig and Haselbergsteig are genuine mountain paths — sure-footedness and proper footwear are advisable, especially in autumn when the ground can be wet and muddy. The forest road alternative is gentler but longer-feeling. There are no signposts on the final approach to the monument; look for the letters "KS" painted on trees.↗↗

The Kaisersäule is an outdoor monument accessible at any time of year, though snow and ice can close the higher trails in winter. The best conditions for the full hike typically prevail from June through October.↗

A Name Worth Knowing

Locally the monument is called the Kaisersäule — "Emperor's Column" — but it is, in fact, a pyramid. Its original and architecturally correct name was the Franzens-Pyramide, after Emperor Franz I himself. The present designation crept into common usage so gradually that no record survives of when or why the name shifted. The discrepancy has become a point of gentle local humour and a charming footnote to an already unusual story: a stone pyramid in the Tyrolean Alps, built not by pharaohs but by salt miners toasting an emperor's panoramic pause.↗↗