Tengel Tengel! Or Hö Hö Höpfeler! - This is how jesters and revellers greet each other on the festive night. Valentine's Day is now over and instead of heart-shaped chocolates and red roses, you can discover colourful carnival parades on the streets. In this blog post, we show you what this spectacle and the battle between winter and spring is all about.
Carnival in Tyrol
Where does the
The tradition of carnival?
The enthusiasm for this unique spectacle is just as old as the tradition itself. The festival was first mentioned in a document in 1642 - spring and winter have always battled each other in human form, representing the spectacular transition from winter to spring.
Things looked very different in Tyrol in 1642: The region in the Eastern Alps was home to a particularly large number of farming families, whose survival for centuries had depended on good weather and the good harvests that came with it. So it's no wonder that in no other region is Shrove Tuesday celebrated as fervently, wildly and fantastically as here in Tyrol!
The local people wanted to leave the harsh winter behind them with a festival and herald the season of warm spring. Over time, the importance of the harvest has diminished, but the tradition of the carnival event has been maintained. To this day Wampel riding, Creeper running or Mullerlaufen the winter is driven away. However, the joy of the festival has not only remained in Tyrol, but has inspired the whole world, so much so that the Tyrolean Mullerlauf has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2011.
What exactly is a Mullerlaufs?
Now that the harbingers have heralded the start of the Mullerlauf, it's time for the real spectacle: the Shamblercharacterised by their fierce larva (mask) and eye-catching headdress, are the unmistakable embodiment of winter. The Half-white represents the new season and is just as we know spring: beautiful, lively and young. The representatives wear white trousers decorated with red and green tassels. Together they move forwards and backwards, hopping along.
The Zagerer represent the autumn, the Melcher the summer and the Mirror duxer the height of summer. The Spiegeltuxer are probably the most famous carnival figures in Tyrol, as they wear a headdress over a metre high and weighing 14kg, which stands out from the rest of the figures. A mirror is attached to the centre of the headdress, while pompous jewellery, long feathers and numerous ornaments are attached to the outside.
The spectacle comes to an end when one of the shaggers (winter) is forced to his knees and leans his upper body back. Triumphantly, one of the half-whites (spring) climbs on top of him, symbolising the end of winter and the victory of spring.
Our insider tip for all carnival enthusiasts: Last year we showed you our delicious and simple
We'll tell you the recipe for our doughnuts - why not give it a try and enjoy the carnival days with a sweet temptation!