Above the roofs of Tarces rises the legendary Colle di Tarces hill, a popular excavation site and recreation area
Image gallery: Tarces
In dialect it is called "Bichl", the hill that was a popular settlement site before primeval times and today watches over the small village of Tarces (Tartsch) near Malles. Legends tell of a town on the hill and archaeologists have searched for it several times. It came to light that families of the Celtic tribe of the Rhaetians settled here as early as the 5th century BC, so that today the place is one of the oldest settlements in the Alpine region. The Tarces Hill or "Tartscher Bichl" presents itself to the visitor as a protected biotope and overgrown with steppe grasses - a beautiful contrast to the wide spaces of the Malles Heath. You can experience it on foot on the Bichlsteig path.
At the foot of the hill stretches the village of Tarces with its shops and opportunities. In the centre is the Michlwirt inn and the St. Andrew Parish Church with the attached Chapel of St. Michael. It was secured to be used as a storage place for valuable altars, including that of St. Vitus on the Tarces Hill. The bus also stops here in the village centre. A few steps away there is a small pond and the St. Joseph Chapel from the 17th century. Every year in June, one of the traditional markets awaits you on the Tarces Hill: That's when the colourful St. Vitus Market takes place.
The market owes its name to the Romanesque chapel that is enthroned on the hill. The little church itself dates back to the 11th century, but the burn marks that are still visible today are from the time of the Engadin War in 1499. In summer, it can be visited once a week on a guided tour. In winter, the Watles Skiing Area is close by, and ski tourers are attracted to the Monte di Tarres.
