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The Hohenems Region Wastewater Treatment Plant is one of the most efficient and technologically advanced plants in Vorarlberg. It serves a region of five municipalities (Hohenems, Götzis, Altach, Mäder, and Koblach) with around 50,000 inhabitants, treating around 6 million cubic meters of wastewater annually using efficient processes and renewable energies.
Hohenems: From municipality to city
Hohenems is a city with around 18,700 inhabitants in the district of Dornbirn in Vorarlberg. With the Diepoldsau Rhine canal and the Rhine regulation in 1923, the centuries-old flood risk was averted and the valley floor could be further settled. The specter of regular and devastating flooding of the valley floor lost its significance in Hohenems from 1923 onwards.
Large parts of the former floodplain were now converted into cultivated land. The Rhine silt provided the basis for fertile arable and pasture land for the farms.
The once small village was thus able to grow steadily into a town.
It’s proximity to the border not only encouraged smuggling in the 1920s, but also provided an escape route to Switzerland from the Nazi regime between 1938 and 1945 – an escape that could mean the difference between life and death. The “Paul Grüninger Bridge,” named in 2012, commemorates one of the Swiss people who had helped numerous refugees.
The Hohenems economy benefited from this, especially from the 1950s onwards, when the period of the global economic crisis and the Second World War had been overcome. Its proximity to Switzerland in particular spurred this upswing. Today, Hohenems is home to a steadily growing number of successful companies covering a wide range of sectors.
Since 1969, Hohenems has been part of the newly founded district of Dornbirn. In 1983, on the occasion of the 650th anniversary of its town charter of 1333, the municipality was officially elevated to town status and has since been the youngest town in Vorarlberg.
Cultural highlights: Hohenems Palace, Schubertiade and Alt-Ems Castle, as well as the Jewish quarter with museum and café.
The townscape is dominated by Hohenems Palace, the former residence of the Counts of Hohenems. It is considered the most important Renaissance building in western Austria. The palace gained fame in the 18th century when two manuscripts of the Nibelungenlied were found in its library.
In 1976, the first Schubertiade took place in the palace, which developed into an internationally renowned music festival. Several museums were established in the surrounding area, including the Schubertiade Museum, which is dedicated to the composer Franz Schubert.
Another striking building is the Alt-Ems castle complex, located high above the valley, with seven gates, a drawbridge, and 47 rooms.
Built in the 12th century, the 800-meter-long complex was one of the most powerful castles in the entire region at the time. Its commanding position above the Rhine Valley gave the Hohenems knights an important position between the Habsburg Empire and the Swiss Confederation.
The Staufer fortress also served as a place of detention for prominent prisoners such as William III (Sicily) from 1195 and Archbishop Bruno of Cologne in 1206.
In 1407, the castle complex was destroyed in the Appenzell War and then gradually rebuilt into an extensive Renaissance fortress according to plans by Martino Longhi.
After the Counts of Hohenems died out, the castle passed to Austria in 1765 and was auctioned off for demolition in 1792.
Between 1938 and 1940 and again in 1965/66, the castle ruins underwent extensive restoration, and were renovated once more between 2006 and 2007. Today, the ruins are mainly privately owned by the Waldburg-Zeil-Hohenems family.
The walls of the palace and the base of the powder tower with its embrasures overlooking the Rhine Valley have been made visible again.
Jewish Quarter
The Jewish Quarter in Hohenems is an important historical ensemble that reflects the city's centuries-long Jewish history and includes numerous preserved buildings. Insights into this can be gained in the Jewish Museum with its adjoining café.
Leisure, Nature, and Sports in Hohenems
Thanks to its central location in the Rhine Valley, Hohenems is an ideal starting point for hikes, mountain bike tours, and winter sports. Popular destinations include the Schlossberg with the Alt-Ems ruins, the Hohe Staufen mountain with its panoramic views, the Alpe Gsohl, the Schuttannen area, and the Fluhereck with the Emser Hütte. The Löwenzähne limestone rock formation above Emsreute attracts sport climbers, and the nearby Schuttannen ski area offers excellent opportunities for winter sports.
The “old” course of the Rhine is now a local recreation area and biotope of supraregional importance. Over 20 species of fish and 100 species of butterflies now find a habitat here; the protected river mussel attests to the purity and oxygen richness of these waters. In order to preserve the extensive flora and fauna, the area has been placed under nature conservation.
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