The small hall
Together with the ‘chapel’ and the ‘Bourgeoisie room’, this hall must once have been one large room. The walls of the palace are the strongest in the whole castle, attaining a depth of three meters in the alcoves. Such strong walls offered protection and ensured a good climate in the room. Very remarkable are the horizontal beams as well as the massive wooden column.
Above the open fireplace, pictures of Count Jacob Hannibal of Hohenems and Ulrich of Schellenberg remind us of the era of the bailiffs who lived and worked here in the castle.
Besides being the bailiff, since 1567 the Count of Hohenems was also the liege lord of Feldkirch. He was given the rule over Feldkirch in return for a loan he granted the provincial lords in Innsbruck. Since 1570 he and his family resided in the castle and carried out some reconstructions.
A remarkable object in this room is the upright secretaire from 1721. On its front side a horse rider is depicted, created from ivory plates and blackened engravings. The massive chests on the floor once belonged to charitable institutions, fraternities, chapels and churches in Feldkirch. They were used as archives to ensure the safe-keeping of documents and manuscripts.