Traditional Perchten runs in Tyrol

Less the "good" beautiful masks are the attraction, but rather the often frightening, huge, and shaggy figures of the "evil" ugly masks. The most important props in all Perchten runs are, in addition to the imaginative masks, the bells and chimes with which the Perchten make noisy processions through the streets. There have been written records of the Perchten runs for more than 400 years, but the origin of the custom is still a mystery. During the time of the Counter-Reformation, the Catholic Church tried to increasingly suppress this "pagan superstition." However, the extent to which the Perchten actually date back to pre-Christian customs is still unclear. They are much more likely to have arisen during the Middle Ages.

In the 19th century, the Perchten runs experienced a kind of renaissance due to the new interest in folk culture and local customs, which intensified again at the end of the 20th century.

The effort to keep traditional customs alive in our times often blends with tourist marketing. However, the Perchten runs are a wild, primal, and multi-layered spectacle that delights young and old alike! Originally, the actual "Perchten season" was from the Rauhnächte (between December 25th and January 5th) to Carnival. The name of the Perchten is also derived from the Perchten night, the night from January 5th to 6th. The Germanic word "perahta" means something like appearance or enlightenment, which in turn refers to the Epiphany, January 6th, which we now know as Three Kings' Day, but traditionally is the feast of the baptism and the manifestation of Christ.

The ugly Perchten embodied the demonic, devilish element, which stands in contrast to the luminous appearance of Jesus Christ. Wrapped in shaggy costumes made of animal skins and dressed in large, heavy, grimacing masks, the ugly masks spread fear and terror, preferably at night. With their bells, they create a truly hellish noise that, according to popular belief, is supposed to banish the demons of winter. Traditionally, the Perchten runs are organized and carried out by local groups or associations. The masks and costumes are also made in the groups themselves. In recent years, the wild revelry has increasingly shifted to St. Nicholas' Day, where the Perchten mix with the Krampusses. So, at the beginning of Advent, there are spectacular processions in many Tyrolean communities. Don't miss this primal spectacle!