Tilisuna wins Austria’s most beautiful place vote

The Tilisuna mountain area in Tschagguns, Vorarlberg, has been voted Austria’s most beautiful place in the ORF’s 13th annual “9 Places – 9 Treasures” competition, ORF reported on Monday. It is the fifth time a place in Vorarlberg has won.

Riegersburg in Styria came second, followed by the Rax cable car in Lower Austria. Viewers chose the winners as part of the national television show held on Austria’s National Day.

Tilisuna lies at the end of the Gampadel valley in the Montafon. The area includes Tilisuna Lake, a mountain refuge and a moor that provides habitat for species including alpine newts and grass frogs. It is also home to Vorarlberg’s longest and deepest cave system, known as the Weißplatten cave system.

In Vorarlberg’s telephone preselection, Tilisuna was chosen over Alpe Klesenza and the pilgrimage church of St Corneli. All three candidates are due to feature in the ORF 2 programme “So beautiful is Austria” on November 9.

Vorarlberg now has five wins in the competition, more than any other province. Styria has won three times. Last year’s winner was the Mariazell Railway in Lower Austria.