Ischgl, Rural municipality in Landeck District, Austria
Ischgl is a municipality in the Paznaun valley within Landeck District, sitting at 1,377 meters (4,518 feet) in a broad valley enclosed by steep mountain slopes. The village center consists of hotels, guesthouses, and shops lining the main road, while forested hillsides and alpine meadows rise above the settlement.
The municipality developed during the late Middle Ages as a small farming village in a secluded valley and remained sparsely populated for centuries. From the 1960s onward, the village rapidly transformed into a winter sports center and the population tripled within a few decades.
The name likely comes from a Romance word meaning island, hinting at the valley's former isolation. Today, streets fill with locals speaking German and visitors from many nations, with village life adapting to the seasonal rhythm of winter crowds and quieter summer months.
Access follows a winding road through the valley from the west, which may close temporarily during heavy winter snowfall. Visitors should bring warm clothing and sturdy footwear, as temperatures often drop well below freezing and snow makes the terrain slippery.
In June 1976, a small stone found nearby was identified by researchers more than three decades later as a meteorite. The fragment belongs to a fireball that appeared in the sky several years earlier and broke apart as it entered the atmosphere.
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