Stanzertal

The Stanzer Tal is a western side valley of the Upper Inn Valley in Tirol. It runs straight from Stanz near Landeck in the east to St. Anton am Arlberg in the west. The Rosanna and Sanna rivers carve through the valley, joining near Landeck before flowing into the Inn. The upper section near Schnann has a wider floor built up by gravel cones, while downstream the valley narrows into steep slopes where villages cling to the northern terraces. The valley separates the Lechtal Alps on the north from the Verwall and Samnaun groups on the south. It sits on a tectonic fault line between the Central Alps and the Northern Limestone Alps. Side valleys such as Paznaun, Malfontal, Moostal and Verwall branch off, all used mainly for summer grazing. The Arlberg Ache valley leads up to the Arlberg Pass and the border with Vorarlberg. Nine municipalities lie along the valley floor and slopes. St. Anton am Arlberg, Pettneu, Flirsch and Strengen form the Planungsverband Stanzertal, while the rest belong to the Landeck region. The Arlberg Schnellstraße and railway tunnel carry heavy traffic between Tirol and Vorarlberg. Tourism is the main income, especially around St. Anton, while farming survives on steep, high-altitude holdings.