Dance Arbour

In the past, dance arbours next to the parish churches were a matter of course.  Today, only one in Gaschurn and an altered one in Schwarzenberg in the Bregenzerwald, exist to document this unique folk culture in Vorarlberg.  The existence of dance arbours or dance houses is partly due to the development of the court houses.  While during the middle ages most trials were held outside, the increasing documentation of the court cases plus the spread of the inquisition led to the trials being held indoors. 
With the arbour next to the parish church, it was easy to keep an eye on the young people when dances were being held.  Some of these former courts were later used as stages for theatres.  It was a meeting place after church on Sundays either to talk to neighbours or to hear official announcements.  Today the dance arbour is open to the public and in the summer there are regular Gaschurn-Partenen folk music concerts.

A notable detail is the old units of measurement that can be seen on the middle posts.  This easily weathered construction and its loss of meaning – the dance arbour  in Gaschurn once housed the local jail – is the reason that this important cultural history object doesn’t exist anymore in the communities of Vorarlberg.