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The first finds in Westendorf date back to the Bronze Age, but the cremation pits discovered were destroyed with the construction of the
Bahnhofstrasse in 1926. The finds that were made at that time can today be seen in the
Ferdinandeum museum. The artefacts display several particular features: on the one hand there is a noticeable amount of them and on the other some the objects found are not made of bronze originating from Tyrol.
In Roman times, Westendorf belonged to the province of Noricum, with the village being situated right on the borders. In 476 this province was dissolved by Odoaker whereby many inhabitants will have certainly moved over to neighbouring Raetia.
Westendorf is first mentioned in a document in 1234, indeed in a gift from Count Otto of Wasserburg to the Rott Abbey (Kloster Rott). There are several clues pointing to the fact that the village and the church had existed earlier though:
In 902 Lord Randolt handed over his estate in the Brixen Valley to the Bishop of Regensburg. In order to be able to enforce his own claim over the bishop of Brixen as well, it may be assumed that the Regensburg bishops constructed a church in the area by Westendorf. Furthermore, the church is consecrated to St. Nicholas, which suggests it was built in 11/12th century.
At the fourth Lateran Council, the Diocese of Chiemsee was established in the year 1215. This new diocese was also assigned to the entire Brixen Valley, whereupon the Bishop of Chiemsee had the sovereign and clerical power, the archbishop of Salzburg, however, had the right of patronage and to tithes. In 1385, the Brixen Valley went entirely to the archbishopric of Salzburg following a deed of sale; however the clerical rights remained with the Diocese of Chiemsee.
The St. Nicholas church in Westendorf is first mentioned in official documentation in 1320. The gothic construction was rebuilt in 1771 by Andre Huber.
Westendorf was under the command of the court of Itter, to which high jurisdiction was also transferred by Emperor Maximilian I in 1514. The 16th century saw active mining all around Westendorf.
In 1803 the archbishopric of Salzburg became part of the grand duchy of Tuscany, as a result of the secularisation propagated by Napoleon, and then Austria in 1805. In 1809 Salzburg, like Tyrol, became part of Bavaria and was not part of Austria again until 1814.
On 1st May 1816, the entire Brixen Valley became part of Tyrol following a resolution by Emperor Franz I, with Westendorf being made an independent parish that the same year.
Burgegg Sectional Fortification
Today you will find farmhouses in Westendorf with the names “Burwegen” and “Burweg” (castle way). If you look at a map of the area you will see a plateau bordered by streams which, due to its position, made a suitable location for a fortress. Whereas it was previously assumed that this was a prehistoric fortress, today we believe it to be the site of a medieval earth rampart with wooden parts. Unfortunately neither wall remains nor other finds have been discovered in the area; no written sources exist either. |
