Solstice fire

When the mountains burn again all over the country

A mystical experience! When dusk falls and the mountain fires light up really brightly, a special atmosphere is created - such as on the Nordkette mountain range above Innsbruck.(Bild: Christof Birbaumer)

All over the world, midsummer bonfires are lit by a wide variety of cultures to raise awareness of the sun as the giver of life. In Tyrol, too, mountain fires have simply been a part of life for generations. Enthusiasts have been preparing for the spectacle for weeks, hoping especially for good weather.

For days, midsummer bonfire enthusiasts have been anxiously watching the weather forecast for Saturday evening and hoping that the rain won't throw a spanner in the works - as it did two weeks ago for the Sacred Heart bonfires. Because when the longest day of the year meets the shortest night, summer in the Alps is once again greeted with fires. Our mountains are then literally on fire.