Baking ovens and two detached granaries from the 14th century are some of the interesting buildings in the village
Image gallery: Kematen in Tirol
Altitude: 610 m a.s.l.
At the junction of the Melach and the Inn rivers, there is the municipality of Kematen in Tirol. It represents - 10 km from Innsbruck - the border between the Upper and the Lower Inn Valley. The name derives from the Latin term "Caminata", which means "heated chamber". According to a legend, however, the name is based on the exclamation of Maximilian I, who was stuck in the Martinswand rock face: "Wenn sie decht nur kematen", which means "If only they would come".
Two detached granaries, that were used to keep the tithe safe in the 14th century, can still be seen today - originally, there were nine granaries in Kematen. Worth to be visited is also the St. Viktor Parish Church, boasting a particularly interesting element: Its bulbous spire is the only steeple of Tyrol that has got three onion-domes. A further interesting fact is, that no other building is older than about 300 years, except the ancient parish estate. In 1703, in the War of Spanish Succession, the Bavarians that were expelled from Innsbruck, raped and burnt the village to the ground.
In summer, Kematen in Tirol offers a tennis court, a football and sports field, a beach volley field as well as playgrounds for kids. A pleasant hike follows the famous Way of St. James, passing the hamlet Afling and the so-called "Himmelreich" (Heavenly Kingdom). Moreover it is a popular starting point for hiking tours in the enchanting Sellrain Valley. In winter, however, Kematen in Tirol is surrounded by the Rangger Köpfl, Kühtai and Axamer Lizum Skiing Areas.
