Mitteregg in Tyrol: to the end of the world with love

Marlene and Mathias Bonapace grew up in the mountains and have now returned to the place where they plan to spend the rest of their lives: Tyrol, or, to be more exact, Mitteregg.

In the winter of 2018/19 it happened again: a huge avalanche cut off the ‘end of the world’ from the ‘rest of the world’. Tyroleans in Mitteregg had to rely on themselves and their neighbours. The roofs of the small hamlet were ‘covered with a good two metres of snow, but first we had to clear the paths from house to house,’ Mathias recalls. ‘Everyone pitched in. That’s quite normal around here.’

Mitteregg in Tyrol – the end of the world

There are just 17 people in the village. Mathias’s wife Marlene grew up there before studying for eight years in Vienna to become a vet. During that time she met Mathias, who was working for a rescue service. They wed two years ago and returned to her home in Mitteregg, Tyrol. It’s the place where, after a good hour’s hike from Berwang, the mountains towering into the sky obscure the horizon. They’re so gigantic that you feel you’ve reached the ‘end of the world’ – something Mitteregg makes no secret of. On the contrary, it wears this badge with pride.

For a better quality of life

The young couple came back to enjoy being in touch with nature and the cosy atmosphere in the village – for a quality of life you’d be hard pressed to find anywhere else. Even as a child, the trained carpenter, who also grew up in a Tyrolean village, knew he had a strong affinity for nature. ‘Sitting at home playing video games wasn’t my thing.’ He spent most of his time with his grandfather, out in the fields, meadows, and forests every single day. As he says, ‘I really did prefer being outdoors with granddad when I was a child. Now I can live out that passion every day.’

He and Marlene seized the opportunity when an old farm, unused for a quarter of century in Mitteregg, Tyrol, was put up for sale. The foundation walls can be dated back to 1640, a testament to how long mountain farmers have been taking care of the land. ‘It’s fascinating to see and think about how it was all done in the past,’ says Mathias. ‘People built and cultivated farms and villages even in remote places because they saw the opportunity to make something with their own hands. And yet it was often a bitter fight for survival.’

The couple’s next project

The foundation stone for Marlene and Mathias’s next big project will also come from there: the goats they plan to raise. The Tyrolean countryside around Mitteregg is home to a traditional breed: the blue goat. The pair plan to establish their own herd to bring work and income to the farm. Although Mathias does admit: ‘It’s not enough to live off. It’s just a side thing.’

Marlene will therefore continue to practise as a vet and he will work in the rescue service. They’re not worried about having enough time for all this. ‘The internet connection here is so weak, we’re unlikely to face much in the way of distraction,’ says Mathias. ‘If you live and work in Mitteregg, you develop your own, relaxed daily rhythm – and come to see nature as your purpose in life.’