2nd winter without a roof

The monument thriller about the White Horse Inn continues

The Weißes Rössl stands right next to the church. "Characteristic of the townscape," says Gabriele Neumann from the heritage office.(Bild: Christof Birbaumer)

Another winter is just around the corner in which the Weiße Rössl on Brennerstraße in Gries in Tirol will probably be left "topless". A dispute is raging between the owner and the heritage office over the listed former inn. The next instance has been called in. 

The roof of the centuries-old and previously well-preserved building was destroyed in a fire in May 2023. Afterwards, the owner and the heritage office were unable to agree on a cover. Since then, the historic walls have been defenceless against rain and snow.

Appeal to the Federal Administrative Court
The monument dispute will now be fought out in the next instance. It is now up to the Federal Administrative Court. The owner of the Rössl, Andreas Vogelsberger, has lodged an appeal with the court because the Monuments Office has not revoked the protected status of the Weiße Rössl. But this is exactly what the owner wants: he believes that the building has suffered too much damage, citing inspections. The financial outlay for renovation would be too great. "It can no longer be renovated with economic means", is the wording of a passage in the complaint submitted to the Tiroler Krone.

Gabriele Neumann, the new Tyrolean state curator, sees things differently. "There is no reason to lift the preservation order. The Weißes Rössl is so much more than the Prachensky Stube, which has since been extended," she emphasizes. Ultimately, the building in its location right next to the church is a defining feature of the Gries townscape.

Hopes are fading
"It is regrettable that no safety measures have yet been taken due to the difficult legal process," says Neumann. The head of the Tyrolean Monuments Office doubts whether this will be possible before winter. The mayor of Gries, Karl Mühlsteiger, is also not very optimistic. However, he emphasizes that the municipality would support the owner in the search for a new use as far as possible.