After a long dispute

Over, over! The White Horse Inn will soon be history

At first glance, the building still looked pretty good after the fire. But rain and snow attacked the structure.(Bild: Initiative Denkmalschutz)

The days of a Tyrolean monument with centuries of history are numbered. After almost two years of dispute between the owner and the Monument Authority, the Provincial Administrative Court has now reached a decision on the White Horse Inn on Brennerstrasse. 

For more than 500 years, the Weißes Rössl in Gries am Brenner has offered shelter to many people seeking accommodation. People ate well and celebrated in its parlors. But soon the place right next to the church is likely to be empty. 

Fire raged two years ago
The beginning of the end was a fire on May 11, 2023, which severely damaged the roof of the building. Since then, the Weißes Rössl has been without a protective roof. The owner and the heritage office could not agree on a cover. The differences grew ever greater. In the meantime, the parlors and rooms were exposed to rain and snow without protection. 

A fire in May 2023 destroyed the roof. This allowed snow and rain to penetrate unhindered.(Bild: Johanna Birbaumer)

Finally, the heritage office obtained an order for an emergency covering via the district authority. However, the owner saw no way of saving the building, which had been badly damaged in the meantime, and appealed to the provincial administrative court. 

Demolition of the building ordered
The court has now ruled that the owner can no longer be reasonably expected to renovate and repair the building in accordance with the Monuments Office. What's more, the decision states that the more than 500-year-old building must be completely demolished "by April 30, 2025 at the latest". An ordinary appeal against the decision is "not permitted", as it says. The final chapter of the Weißes Rössl is therefore likely to be written.